11. Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

Coconut rhinoceros beetles injure and kill coconut trees, betelnut palms, and other plants by burrowing into their trunks and damaging their leaves. They originally lived only in Southern Asia, but people have spread them throughout Asia and islands of the Western Pacific. Biologists first saw these beetles on Guam in 2007. Adults coconut rhinoceros beetles are usually dark brown, up to one and one half inches long, and grow a short, thick horn between their eyes. The green barrels around the park contain decomposing palm wood and leaves. Adult beetles looking for a place to lay their eggs smell the wood and leaves. They can climb down through the mesh on top of the barrels, but can’t climb or fly back out to escape. Every week, park rangers collect, count, and dispose of the trapped beetles. These barrels help protect coconut trees at the park. Please do not put any trash or anything else in these barrels, and do not remove any beetles from them.