New Zealand entomologist leads mission against coconut rhinoceros beetle in New Caledonia

New Zealand world-class entomologist Trevor Jackson has just completed a mission in New Caledonia to help local authorities fight against the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB).

The invasive species (Oryctes rhinoceros) has appeared in the French Pacific territory over the past few years.

The beetle damages the palms by boring into the palm stem and feeding on the sap.

If the beetle continues to spread, it is estimated the Pacific could lose at least NZ$237 million per annum by 2040 as a result of damage to coconut trees alone.

Under NZ funding, the AgResearch investigator has previously led similar missions, based on bio control, in Asia, Latin America and the Pacific region (including the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Guam).

In New Caledonia, working with local scientists from the Southern Province, New Caledonia's agronomy Institute (IAC) and local association Dumbéa living river (DRV), he told local media in less than a week, they have captured up to 80 specimens of the invasive species.

"This is a really high number", he said.

"Then we will genetically analyse those samples to find out which strain it belongs to," DRV's Clara Calmettes told local broadcaster NC la Première.

"We understand there are two strains of this coconut rhinoceros beetle: one on the main island (La Grande Terre), the other on the island of Lifou (one of New Caledonia's Loyalty islands group)," she said.

The fight against the rhino beetle is mainly based on the use of biological control agents.

Since the 1960s, New Zealand scientists have built a collection of CRB virus strains from different parts of the region.

Jackson said this now means, in each country or territory inspected, they can now look through that collection and test those strains.

The virus, produced in New Zealand, has been a bio-control method successfully used in other pacific islands to help keep the CRB under control.

Jackson is working with local entomologists to feed the virus to healthy beetles that are then released into the island rhino populations.

New Caledonia's scientists are now working to establish whether the introduction of bio control agents will not entail collateral damage, such as the destruction of endemic species.

Further research into this project, which is funded until September 2026, could come from the French national Office for Biodiversity.

Beyond September, a fresh partnership between IAC and New Caledonia's Southern Province is also in the pipeline for a total of some US$100,000.