This information was originally shared through the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) Response's quarterly newsletter. To sign up for updates on CRB, add your name to the form at the bottom of this page.
This heat map shows where our traps have caught CRB in the past six months. Our highest-catch areas, represented by yellow, include Pearl City Peninsula, Waipio Peninsula, and Iroquois Point. Emerging populations in Mililani and Kunia are represented by blue. Green waste should not be moved from or staged overnight in hot zones or emerging areas.
CRB Field Team:
In heavily landscaped areas, we've begun tree injections to make palms toxic to CRB (pictured to the right). We expect to see the effects of this treatment approximately eight months after application due to palm growth patterns.
CRB Canine Team Update:
In August, our canine team detected a breeding site at Mililani Agricultural Park, which led to the removal of more than 200 CRB. Canines make our work more efficient by identifying material that is CRB-positive.
CRB Outreach Team:
If you haven't yet, please check out our website, Instagram, and Facebook page. A recording of our first webinar with Smart Trees Pacific, a deep dive into how CRB damage trees, is now available online.
Continuing our work through COVID-19
The CRB Response's work to prevent the threats and impacts of the coconut rhinoceros beetle has not stopped due to the pandemic. Deemed essential employees by the State of Hawaii, we've adapted our policies to keep our staff and partners safe, informed, and engaged. Here's what has changed.
Some CRB traps were inaccessible during pandemic restrictions. Several locations were not accessible during late spring and early summer months. We recovered all trapped beetles once they were accessible. This partially explains an increase in trap detections in August.
Our communication has moved online. In addition to building our online presence, we share crew updates in a weekly email and regularly meet with partners online. Our outreach team is available for online presentations to your community group or organization.
We've adopted new office protocols to limit gatherings. In the office, we wear masks, disinfect surfaces and supplies, and prepare supplies for field work outdoors. Our field crew also drives and works individually now, rather than in teams of two.
Long-term partnerships are more important than ever. Our partners see what's at stake in preventing the spread of CRB, and have been continuing to manage their green waste and report any CRB and tree damage they find. Find our current suggestions for green waste management here. Thank you!