Trap for Coconut (Rhinoceros) Beetles?

[giddyup]

We've had a problem for some time with the big black Rhino beetles eating the palm fronds. They have nearly killed a couple of trees, and our only solution to date has been to try and put small bags of poison at the top of the trees where the fronds grow from. I read that they are using pheromone traps in some places like Guam to trap the beetles then kill them. Has anyone seen anything like that here? The trees are getting so high now it's quite difficult to place poison at the top, so need another solution.

[samuijimmy]

I would suggest asking your local agricultural dept if there is anything... You'll probably need photos  and or perhaps a Thai speaker to talk about the problem.

 

 When Samui and Koh Phangan had a major red beetle problem a few years back. Pheromone traps where placed around the islands... and solved the problem for most of the coconut trees.... I suspect that unless it is a major outbreak in the area it may not be easy to find or get.... Worth asking though..

 

Anyone able to add?

[giddyup]

18 minutes ago, Arjen said:

They use trained monkeys to place poison in top of the trees. It is one of the most difficult things to teach a monkey to do.

 

On some monkyschools they can teach the monkeys to do this.

 

Once you have a monkey who can do this for you the succes rate is 100%

 

Arjen.

 

The position is open. Are you interested? I'll throw in all the bananas you can eat.

[drtreelove]

On ‎1‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 7:23 PM, samuijimmy said:

I would suggest asking your local agricultural dept if there is anything... You'll probably need photos  and or perhaps a Thai speaker to talk about the problem.

 

 When Samui and Koh Phangan had a major red beetle problem a few years back. Pheromone traps where placed around the islands... and solved the problem for most of the coconut trees.... I suspect that unless it is a major outbreak in the area it may not be easy to find or get.... Worth asking though..

 

Anyone able to add?

I don't know about the phermone traps, but a local ag shop would be the place to inquire. If you are in Chiang Mai area I have a recommendation for the most complete ag fertilizer and pesticide shop in Thailand. Or PM me and I'll dig up the phone number or directions.  The traps usually only get a small percentage of the pest, and are used for detection of pest life cycle and presence to initiate a spray program, not for control by itself. But I could be wrong, I have only used them for mangoes and olives.

Giddyup are you using the coconuts? harvesting, eating, drinking?  If not and only ornamental, the easiest - not organic, and not for food producing plants, is to use a systemic insecticide like Starkle G or Bayer Imidacloprid, available in ag shops. These are applied to the soil for root uptake. Starkle G is a Mitsui product with dinotefuran active ingredient, its fast for uptake and translocation, but only about 3 month residual effectiveness. Imidacloprid, another neonicotinoid systemic insecticide, takes a month or so for uptake, but has a year or more residual. To use this responsibly for a food plant you would have to isolate the palms for no access to people for harvest. Or cut out the young fruits before they could be consumed.

Another pesticide option that would be appropriate for edible coconut production (non-systemic) is preventive barrier spraying with a pyrethroid like cypermethrin or cypermethrin with bifenthrin (Chaindrite Stedfast). But you would need a sprayer capable of reaching the entire head and drench the frond bases. The residual from a single spray application with a high concentration tank mix, would be about 3 months, longer if bifenthrin is used.

Jimmy recommended a biological control, and that would be preferred for organic, sustainable management. But you would definitely need to consult with local ag university like CMU or Maejo U in Chiang Mai, or Kasetsart in Bangkok.  The Thailand Agriculural Dept has a biological control division with an office in Chonburi that specializes in coconut palm pests, they were cultivating a mini wasp for release to control coconut hispid beetle, I'm not sure if they have a good parasitoid for rhino beetles. The head of the division in Bangkok when I last communicated was a woman, Dr Winothai if I remember right, but that was in 2009 or 2010.

A neighbor of our small farm in Chiang mai was a big coconut grower and he used the cypermethrin method for Rhinocerous beetles and the associated red palm weevil that follows the rhinos, used their galleries and does even more damage. He told us that some growers pour sand in around the frond bases to deter the beetles and weevils from boring. I don't know how effective that is.

On a small scale for easy to reach situations, talk to locals who dig out and fry up the big grubs for a snack.

Those are some general options off the top of my head, but I am not a coconut grower and someone else may have more specific pertinent information. Post on the Farming in Thailand forum for contact and discussion with experienced growers.

 

.

[giddyup]

drtreelove thanks for your reply. The palms are ornamental not coconut. My missus has persevered with placing poison (don't ask me what kind) at the top of the palm and so far has killed over a dozen beetles. The palms are sprouting many new healthy fronds as well so I would say the problem is under control, but probably not eradicated.

[sometime]

5 hours ago, giddyup said:

drtreelove thanks for your reply. The palms are ornamental not coconut. My missus has persevered with placing poison (don't ask me what kind) at the top of the palm and so far has killed over a dozen beetles. The palms are sprouting many new healthy fronds as well so I would say the problem is under control, but probably not eradicated.

I have the same problem with a huge foxtail Palm, any chance of finding out what the poison is and how its applied.

Thanks

[giddyup]

5 minutes ago, sometime said:

I have the same problem with a huge foxtail Palm, any chance of finding out what the poison is and how its applied.

Thanks

Everything on the packet is in Thai, except Marshall Carbosulfan. I assume Marshall is the brand name.

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, Arjen said:

They use trained monkeys to place poison in top of the trees. It is one of the most difficult things to teach a monkey to do.

 

On some monkeyschools they can teach the monkeys to do this.

 

Once you have a monkey who can do this for you the succes rate is 100%

 

I post again.

 

This is very effective. The poison is on the right place.

 

But when you are a Vegan you can not use this method.

 

Arjen

Sounds like the right job for you, unless you are already employed on an organ grinders cart.

[giddyup]

Just now, Arjen said:

I tried to give you some advise.

 

It seems you do not appreciate it.

 

Good luck!

 

If you'd actually bothered to read the posts instead of offering silly solutions, you'd see that we are already on top of the problem.

[drtreelove]

Heads up, carbosulfan is a carbamate class insecticide, Marshal is the trade name. It's a cholinesterase inhibitor, most toxicity danger is for the applicator. Think Alzheimers disease. If your wife is using it with any frequency and without personal protective equipment, you may want to have her get tested for blood cholinesterase levels. This class of chemical is banned in the EU and restricted in the US. 

I haven't used this product, but it is listed as a systemic, so check it out and consider applying as a soil drench for root uptake, instead of exposed use and environmental contamination.

I think the "neonics; (neonicotinoids) that I mentioned would be my choice for ornamentals, including the foxtail palms. But the neonics are not organic program compatible. An organic program alternative would be to spray every two weeks with Neem seed product, Azadhiractin as a preventive repellent, antifeedant, reproductive disruptor.

 

Monkey boy may be out of date, drones are the new aerial achievers, and bananas are not necessary. I'd hate to see a monkey get Alzheimers. A wife would be bad enough.