Proposal for detecting coconut rhinoceros beetle breeding sites using harmonic radar

Abstract

Coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), a major pest of coconut and oil palms, is causing severe economic and environmental damage following recent invasions of several Pacific islands. Population suppression and eradication of this pest requires location and destruction of active and potential breeding sites where all life stages aggregate. Three search tactics for discovering breeding sites have been used with limited success: visual search by humans, search with assistance from detector dogs and search by tracking CRB adults fitted with radio transmitters. Here, we suggest a fourth search tactic: releasing CRB adults fitted with harmonic radar tags to locate breeding sites. Our idea is to find static end points for tags which accumulate at breeding sites, rather than active tracking of individual beetles. We plan to use commercially available hand-held harmonic radar devices. If we are successful, this technique may be useful for locating other insects which aggregate, such as hornets and other social insects.