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October 2006. A suitable control method was requested for Oryctes rhinoceros in an island resort in the Maldives. There were many replies.
Some of the simpler as recommended by Tamilnadu Agricultural University, India, are:
1. Put sand grains (mixed with BHC dust?) in the leaf axils before the fronds emerge. The sand grain will get under the thoracic ‘shell’ and remain an irritant preventing feeding. But the trapped beetles may have to be physically removed with a prod. This can be labour intensive & BHC is banned in many countries.
2. Avoid cattle manure (or any compost heap with partially decomposed material) within the coconut area, unless it is thoroughly decomposed. The beetle lays eggs in it and the grubs develop in such heaps.
3. Light traps work well too, as long as one collects the beetles and destroys them regularly.
Ecoport has a section on the management of the beetle:
http://ecoport.org/ep?Arthropod=19772&entityType=AR****&entityDisplayCategory=full ???and any of its related/linked e-articles, ???for example: http://ecoport.org/ep?SearchType=earticleView&earticleId=179&page=-2
Three is also a good summary on the Global Invasive Species Database at: http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=173&fr=1&sts=sss
In oil pams, a synthetic pheromone is used to control O rhinoceros. A special formulation of this pheromone has been registered recently in Indonesia with the trade name of FEROMIC. This aggregation pheromone has an adjuvant (synergist) to increase its efficiency. It is applied in a ceramic dispenser that can prolong its activity for up to 4 months in the field under Southeast Asia conditions. Usually about 80% of the trapped beetles are female and 80% are gravid. These experiences can be applied to coconut.
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