COCONUT
RHINOCEROS
BEETLE
RESPONSE
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Although native to Southeast Asia, the distribution of CRB today includes many Pacific Islands, including O'ahu, Kaua'i, Island of Hawai'i, Maui and Moloka'i. To date, CRB has not been reported in the mainland United States, Central America, or South America, but any tropical ecosystem that produces host species for the CRB is at risk of infestation.
CRB was discovered at Mamala Bay, O'ahu December 2013. It is assumed the beetle was accidentally introduced on a flight from an infested island in the Pacific. While it was first detected at the airport (HNL), there are both military and commercial flights from areas with CRB populations.
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CURRENT STATUS
O’ahu is the only island where CRB Response manages and checks CRB traps in all areas of the island on a monthly schedule. On all other islands, we work with partner agencies for trap checks and data sharing. Hence, other islands' maps might not have the same data as Oahu. We have linked some other mapping resources for neighboring islands that might share more recent finds and community observations.
O'ahu
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The entire island is considered infested. Treatments are focused on ports to minimize the chances of accidental transport off O'ahu in cargo or on vehicles. There is no need to report finds on O'ahu since populations are widespread but reports on other islands are still requested.
Kaua'i
This map shows finds on Kauaʻi by year. While this is not a comprehensive map, it shows how CRB has spread through the years. For more information about CRB on Kauaʻi, you can go to Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee’s website.
Island of Hawai'i
On Hawaiʻi Island, beetle detections are restricted to the Waikōloa area, through trap finds and public reports. A breeding site was found on a residential property in a dead palm stump in Waikōloa in October, 2023. The breeding site was treated and removed by Hawaii Dept. of Ag. Multiple groups deployed additional traps and surveyed across the island to determine the extent of the infestation. In March, 2025, there were a total of 4 beetles caught in traps close to Kona Airport. These were the first finds outside of Waikōloa. Beetles are continuing to be caught in traps around Kona. Surveys and outreach have picked up as beetles continue to be found. One breeding site was found in June, 2025, nearby the Kona airport. The breeding site was treated and removed. For most recent updates from Hawai'i, visit Big Island Invasive Species Committee's Community CRB Monitoring Dashboard here. A new interim rule restricts movement from the infested area. Click here to the Big Island Invasive Species Committee's website to read more about the interim rule and sign up for training.
Maui
A breeding site was discovered in a dead palm trunk in November, 2023, in Kihei and it was treated and removed. Multiple groups are deploying additional traps and surveying to determine if CRB are in other areas. This was the only find on Maui for 2.5 years until April 1, 2026, when an adult beetle was found in a trap at the airport. You can read more about the Maui and Moloka'i rapid response here.
Moloka'i
