Rhino Beetle Battle

[Cindy Adair]

I continue to follow all the posts (such as in the excellent topic above) trying to document and minimize killing of our palms by rhino beetles. 

My latest interest is whether beneficial nematodes can be a reasonable option. 

Thus I am copying today’s email here after sending it to the CRB response team and HIPS. 
 

I am very appreciative of any information and also help on where to purchase the best traps/bait. 

 

Dear CRB Team,

I have written before and continue to follow your newsletter as I battle the ox rhino killing young palms on my Puerto Rico farm. I understand that the ox beetle also kills palms in some continental US states. 

To my eye the larvae and adults in PR look very similar to the CRB so perhaps control options might overlap. 

I did try netting at the point of attack for my palms (stem near or at ground level), but it had had limited success. 

Same for the large effort I made using hardware cloth to block ground entry of adults. 

Systemic imidocloprid (to ground) helps some, but unsure of dosing on my slender nontrunking palms and need for frequent forever use (until trunking?) plus need to remove flowers for bee protection makes me dislike this choice. 

I read an article somewhere that discussed a trial in HI with nematodes for use on CRB and see other articles online such as the one in the pdf below.

A commercial fruit tree grower near me used beneficial nematodes years ago for a weevil issue with great success and he has persistently suggested that I try it. He is even willing to share dirt if that seems useful.


https://ejbpc.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s41938-022-00587-7.pdf

I am sure your team has looked at this and I am very interested in any help you might convey as to the practicality of a trial on the species I am fighting, seemingly alone as funds and/or interest in PR authorities has so far not been useful. 

There is an International Palm Society grant program with applications due in by December 31 annually should there be interest. 

Please let me know if I can call or email with anyone regarding practical field use of nematodes on rhino beetles.

I will also be in HI (Oahu and Big Island) in March should there be anyone willing to consult in person. 

Lastly, I am interested in purchasing whatever rhino traps that you are using. Please advise me how to proceed. 

I am also contacting HIPS and posting on the Palm Society’s forum Palm Talk in case there are answers there. 

With much appreciation,
Cindy Adair
by December 31 annually should there

[Harry’s Palms]

I hope the nematode method works on this destructive beetle. Here , in Southern California ( San Diego) , they have infected some Phoenix Canariensis and a few other palms. I haven’t seen any up here in Ventura County yet ( north of Los Angeles) but it would be devastating as some large farms have rows of CIDP that are decades old and very large . Harry