Destructive beetle found in trap at Barbers Point

HONOLULU — The discovery of a destructive beetle in west Oahu is prompting officials to set more traps beyond the zone where the pest was originally detected.

The state Department of Agriculture says a male coconut rhinoceros beetle was found May 21 in a trap in an industrial area at Barbers Point.

The beetle was first detected at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in December. The majority of other beetles found have been within a two-mile zone around the base’s golf course.

State officials have been working with the military and the University of Hawaii to trap the beetles, which can destroy coconut trees and other palm plants.

It’s not known how the beetles arrived. Invasive species threaten Hawaii’s ecosystem.