Department of Agriculture & Biosecurity

Additional protocols considered to prevent further incidents                                                             

Aug 6, 2025
NR25-18

HONOLULU – There have been two incidents that have been reported since May 2025 where coconut rhinoceros beetles (CRB) were detected on Lāna‘i in plants transported from O‘ahu. The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) and the importer on Lāna‘i have been taking additional steps to prevent CRB from being transported to the island. In both cases, Pūlama Lāna‘i (PL), a land management company with a landscape and biosecurity program that services the island, found CRB in recent shipments of potted plants from O‘ahu.

“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. “If all plant importers and shippers were as diligent and responsible, the state would be in much better position regarding invasive pests and diseases. It takes all of us to protect Hawai‘i.”

PL reports that on May 30, its staff detected a possible CRB larva in a large pot containing a palm plant that arrived from O‘ahu two days before, which was under a mandatory quarantine. As a precaution, PL immediately quarantined the entire shipment in two 40-foot shipping containers. PL notified DAB’s Plant Quarantine Branch (PQB) on June 5. PQB agriculture inspectors from O‘ahu and Maui confirmed the larva as CRB on June 6. PL chose to destroy the entire shipment by deep burial rather than return the shipment to O‘ahu.

On June 19, PQB sent an entomologist and a microorganism specialist from O‘ahu and a master journeyman inspector and an additional inspector from Maui to Lāna‘i to unpot and inspect every plant in the shipment. During the inspection, one live CRB larva was found at the bottom of 45-gallon pot containing a large palm tree. Inspectors believe that new compost material was added to the pots just prior to shipping and that the new compost material may have been the source of the CRB larvae. No other CRB were found in the shipment and the inspectors witnessed the burial of the plants beneath at least seven-feet of dirt. The day after the burial, the two Maui inspectors remained on Lāna‘i to conduct outreach and education about CRB and other pests with other island businesses and the U.S. Postal Service. PQB worked with the nurseries where the plants originated. They did not have apparent CRB infestations.

On July 9, PL was offloading a shipment of assorted plants from O‘ahu and detected a species of ant (not little fire ant) and the shipment was treated with insecticide for the ants the next day. While offloading the shipment on July 11, staff found an adult male CRB on top of a 45-gallon pot containing a tropical plant. The plants in that shipment were sealed in a 40-foot shipping container and were destroyed by burning on July 11.

PL’s biosecurity program, a voluntary initiative supplementing state and federal efforts, plays a critical role in detecting CRB and other invasive pests on plants shipped to Lāna‘i. CRB in potted plants that were not hosts of CRB were not considered a high risk on Lāna‘i, which underscores the importance of ongoing quarantine and inspection protocols.

“Over the past 12 years, our team has intercepted a number of invasive pests through our biosecurity program, including little fire ant and coqui frog,” said Jonathan Sprague, director of conservation at Pūlama Lāna‘i. “The recent interception of the coconut rhinoceros beetle is another example of how important this work is in keeping Lāna‘i free of these noxious pests and protecting our natural resources. We’d like to thank the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, the Hawai‘i Invasive Species Council and the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response for their coordination and continued partnership.”

Due to the recent interceptions of live CRB in large potted plants from O‘ahu, DAB, PL and other partner organizations are working on multiple fronts to prevent any additional incidents. PQB will deploy more CRB detection traps with pheromone lures on Lāna‘i in addition to the ones from PL and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. PQB is also exploring a voluntary agreement with PL to stop the purchase of potted plants larger than 10 gallons from O‘ahu to minimize the risk of introducing CRB to Lāna‘i. CRB Response may also conduct research on possible fumigation methods for shipments of potted plants to kill CRB and its larvae and eggs.

On the legal front, PQB continues to work on amending administrative rules to address issues on the movement of CRB host material from infested areas.

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