Treatment of Breeding Material

Most plant waste and decomposing plant products can be breeding material for CRB as it decays. You can manage CRB populations and reduce the risk of CRB establishment by periodically treating material with one of the lethal treatments listed in the table below. CRB take 4-6 months to develop from an egg to an adult that can fly to new areas. If the plant waste is subjected to a kill treatment every 4 months, the CRB growing in the material will be killed before they have a chance to escape. Additional treatments can slow their development, kill some of the CRB, or make it harder for them to find the material but will not prevent infestation.

To use the table above, reference the type of waste that you have and select appropriate kill and slow treatments. Perform one of the kill treatments every 4 months. An example treatment plan would begin with whole logs and branches being staged for 4 months. Chipping those will kill any CRB but the chipped wood can become infested so you have 4 months to stage the chipped wood before introducing it into a hot composting process. Once the compost cools below 120 F, parts of it are at risk for infestation so the cooled compost can be staged for 4 months then submerged in water for 48 hours to kill all CRB larvae. The water is drained to use as compost tea and used to fertilize crops, the solids are tilled into garden beds before a planting. In this example, the material is staged for over a year but if done properly, does not allow an adult beetle escape to feed on palms or lay eggs in a new site.

TREATMENTS THAT KILL ALL CRB

Chipping

Chipping infested material will kill CRB. This is only practical for whole unchipped material like branches, palm fronds, or logs. Chipped material is favorable to CRB compared to whole material. Therefore, it’s good to keep the material whole until it can be chipped and removed or used.

Hot Compost

CRB begin to die around 115 F but 131 F core temp is a good target to ensure that even the colder spots (edges and areas touching soil) are at least 115 F. It is important to note that the material can be reinfested once it cools of.

Submerge

Submerging breeding material in water will drown larvae but adults will be able to escape. Submersion for 24 hours will kill many larvae but 48 hours or more is preferable. Complete submersion under water is required. Watering heavily will not kill CRB. Submersion in natural bodies of water and reservoirs is generally illegal. A tub, pool, or lined pit will be required in most cases.

Steam

Steam takes a long time to penetrate deep and fine material. You must measure the core of the material to ensure that all material reaches 120 F for at least 1 hour. Use of a sealed container, vacuum system, and perforated piping can speed up the process.

Fumigate

Treatment with sulfuryl fluoride (e.g. Profume or Vikane) to 2000 CT will kill all life stages of CRB. This can be done in a vault or tarped similar to home treatments for termites. This treatment requires a certified pesticide applicator with a category 7 certification.

Incineration

Incineration kills all CRB and there is no material left to reinfest. Burning requires permits from the Dept. of Health so it is not possible in all cases. Material can be sent to H-POWER but they charge tipping fees and they have limits on green waste so scheduling is required.

Treatments that Slow CRB Growth

Grind

The distance between plates and type of material probably affect the number of CRB killed but the efficacy has not been tested. Finer (smaller particle size) grinding is more likely to kill more CRB.

Bury

CRB are very good diggers but burial will probably mask the smell and requires more work for CRB to reach.

Net

Monofilament netting has been shown to entangle and exclude CRB but it does allow some through. Use multiple loose layers of 1/2" to 3" hole size netting.

Till in

Tilling material into soil reduces the scent, access, and calories per volume available to CRB. The smaller the organic component of the soil is, the lower the attractiveness will be to CRB.

Spread Thin

Spreading mulch and compost thinner than 2 inches dries out the material faster and allows predators (chickens and mongoose) to find CRB. If material stays moist or is irrigated this is not a treatment for CRB.

Tarp

Tarps can reduce the available scent but they can also keep material moist. CRB can burrow under or through most tarps.

Pesticide

Pyrethroid pesticide products labeled for application to mulch, wood, or places that insects are found have been tested and provide some protection. Depending on the site, there may be a product that can be legally applied. Refer to the labels of Triple Crown, Suspend, and similar products to see if they can be applied at your site.

CRB Response crew surveying mulch for coconut rhinoceros beetle.jpg

Search and Turn

Digging through the material and observing every inch of it will allow you to pull out many CRB present. This is unreasonable for larger piles and eggs and small larvae are easy to miss. By doing this every 4 months, the eggs and small larvae will most likely grow to 3rd instars and therefore be easier to find.

Organic Mulch Alternatives

There are several alternatives to mulch for water retention and weed control that don't put host palms at increased risk of CRB attack. Inorganic soil coverings will reduce the soil surface evaporation rate and temperature and will last much longer than mulch. Water permeable weed mat, landscaping rock, gravel, rubber chips/pellets, and recycled asphalt gravel are a few common choices. For water retention, products that are incorporated beneath the soil surface work best. Water retention crystals hold much more water than mulch and are not very expensive.

COCONUT
RHINOCEROS
BEETLE
RESPONSE

Treatment of Breeding Material

TREATMENTS THAT KILL ALL CRB

Treatments that Slow CRB Growth

Organic Mulch Alternatives

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COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLE RESPONSE

Treatment of Breeding Material

TREATMENTS THAT KILL ALL CRB

Treatments that Slow CRB Growth

Organic Mulch Alternatives

Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter

COCONUT
RHINOCEROS
BEETLE
RESPONSE