LANAI, Hawaiʻi (KHON2) — Coconut rhinoceros beetles, also known as CRB were recently detected on Lāna‘i in two separate plant shipments from O‘ahu.
According to the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, both incidents occurred between May and July 2025 and involved large potted plants brought from O‘ahu.
The CRBs were found by Pūlama Lāna‘i, a land management company with a landscape and biosecurity program that services the island.
“The precautionary measures that Pūlama Lāna‘i have taken to prevent pests from hitchhiking to Lāna‘i must be recognized and is truly appreciated,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the board of Agriculture and Biosecurity.
The Coconut rhinoceros beetles were first detected on May 30, when a CRB larva was found in a large pot containing a palm plant that was shipped from O‘ahu. The entire shipment was sealed and destroyed through deep burial rather than returning the shipment to O‘ahu.
The second incident occurred on July 11, when PL staff found an adult male CRB on top of a potted tropical plant. That shipment was immediately sealed and destroyed by fire.
“If all plant importers and shippers were as diligent and responsible, the state would be in a much better position regarding invasive pests and diseases,” Hurd continued. “It takes all of us to protect Hawai‘i”.
In response to this, state agriculture officials are stepping up their efforts to prevent the invasive pest from spreading further.
The Department of Agriculture’s Plant Quarantine Branch will be adding more CRB detection traps on Lāna‘i, working alongside the Plant Industry Division and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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No additional CRB have been found since the last incident, and investigations continue to determine the source of the infestations.