Downed trees and vegetative waste make ideal breeding sites for the beetle. The passing of Typhoon Dolphin over Guam in 2015 highlighted the dangers of an event like this triggering rapid growth in CRB populations. Smaller islands, where traditional, palm-dependent economies still operate, stand to suffer the most.įigure 1: “ The CRB-Guam biotype has invaded five Pacific Island countries and territories in only eight years compared to the CRB-Pacific biotype, which has not had geographical range expansion for 40 years“ There is now a real threat of a Pacific-wide outbreak of CRB. As well as Guam, the new biotype has now been logged in Papua New Guinea (2009), Palau (2014), Hawaii (2014) and the Solomon Islands (2015) (see figure 1). This resistance has proved paramount to the invasive ability of CRB. The Guam population was deemed a new biotype (CRB-Guam) and was found to be resistant to all available OrNV strains. Upon DNA analysis, the invading rhino beetles were found to be genetically distinct from CRB native to other Pacific regions. Early attempts at disseminating the virus in the new Guam population proved surprisingly ineffective. Up until Guam, 2007, it had been 40 years since an outbreak of CRB on an uninfested palm growing Pacific island, owing to the persistence of OrNV in beetle populations. As a biological control strategy, it has been highly effective at keeping CRB populations low and thus lessening palm damage by up to 90% ( Bedford, 2013). The principal method of rhinoceros beetle control is through the release of a virus specific to CRB known as Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV). The Department of Interior in July announced that it set aside just over $176,000 to UOG to aid the fight against the coconut rhinoceros beetle.A coconut palm damaged by CRB © Aubrey Moore UOG assisted by sending trapping nets to the neighboring island. Thanks to education and outreach on the invasive species, Rota was prepared to trap the beetles and sanitize the area to prevent the spread, Quitugua said. Quitugua said there's a strong possibility that the beetles came from Guam, but scientists will be sending samples off-island to determine whether it's the same biotype. Guam's specific biotype of coconut rhinoceros beetles are known to be difficult to exterminate. The insects have devastated Guam's iconic coconut trees by eating at its core and forming breeding sites within them. Guam has been plagued with the beetles for a decade. "For them, it's not a matter of if something is coming, but when," Quitugua said. Rota and the rest of the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands have been vigilant in watching out for this species, especially since the islands lie close to Guam. "Because it was found in one small spot, the beetles won't bother Rota," Quitugua said. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on Guam, and UOG for analysis. The invasive species were found Thursday and have since been removed and sent to the U.S. Roland Quitugua, University of Guam extension and outreach agent, said it is Rota's first case of a coconut rhinoceros beetle population on the island. Twenty-four coconut rhinoceros beetles and about 300 beetle larvae have been found near a Rota seaport. Watch Video: Top invasive species of Guam
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