The rhinoceros beetle project: History and review of the research programme

Abstract

An account is given of the history and the results achieved by the U.N.D.P./S.P.C. Rhinoceros Beetle Project in the South Pacific. The special features of the rhinoceros beetle coconut palm system are reviewed as they influence and determine the research methods and the possibilities for pest control. The beetles' habit of burrowing into breeding sites and into the coconut palm crown, together with the low value of the crop precludes the use of insecticides for control. Biological control agents must be able to penetrate these living places in order to be successful. The success of the Project is attributed to the discovery and use of a baculovirus. Its success of the Project is attributed to the discovery and use of a baculovirus. Its success in reducing beetle numbers preceded the research on its ecology and safety and also curtailed other research directions. The virus is supported in integrated pest management programmes by the fungus Metarrhizium anisopliae and by plantation sanitation.