The scientific name of this Black Palm Beetle pest is Oryctes rhinoceros and this bug create serious damage to especially young coconut palm tree. It is really essential to take care of young coconut tree from this bug in all breeding ground. It is better to inspect the coconut site once a week to check whether there is any black beetle observes in the coconut harvest. The frequent damage leads to reduce the growth of the tree and in one point the tree may get dead due to its damage.  It is also observed where the coconut palm tree and other cultivations combined such as banana, the growth of this black beetle far higher than single coconut cultivations.

How to Identify the Black Palm Beetle damage on the ground

One of the common problems is this beetle can bore into the unopened fronds of a coconut tree and attack the fronds.As we explained earlier the red weevil unable to create holes in a coconut tree.

But this black beetle can create holes in coconut palm tree and by using these holes red weevil can also enter into the inside of the coconut tree and get breed.

This bug also cut the developing leaves and you can easily identify its damage by the V-shaped cuts in the young coconut leaves through the midrib.

The life cycle of the Black Beetle

Black beetle laid eggs on the manure pits and they hatched in eight to twelve days. Then it comes to the larvae stage and it takes eighty-two to two hundred served days before entry into the next stage call perusal stage.

One pupal stage this beetle spend nearly two to three weeks and become an adult. Even after it becomes an adult they spend another three weeks in pupal cess before fly into the palm tree. The lifespan of the adult black beetle is four to nine months.

Black Palm Beetle Control Methods:

There are several control methods can apply to reduce the growth of black beetle control. Following are some of the common use method to eliminate this pest problem.

Mechanical Control Method:

In this mechanical controlling methods, the black beetle can remove by the pointed metal hook. The pest can extract by inserting iron on beetlehook and remove all the breeding are such as coconut husks, coconut logs in the ground and clean the ground area properly.

Control Black Beetle Bug Using Chemicals:

It is better to apply a used engine oil on the leaf around the bud region where the suspect area of beetle infections.

It is also suitable to insert naphthalene balls into the innermost of the leaf for further protections. There is certain chemical mixture you can apply to prevent the harm created according to the http://www.coconut.gov.lk site following are the chemical compositions and the application methods.

Apply insecticides;

Carbofuran 3% at the rate of 15 g and 30 g for seedlings and young palms respectively.

Cabofuran 10% at the rate of 10 g and 15 g for seedlings and young palms respectively.

Applying Method;

Mix the recommended dose with an equal amount of sand. Place the mixture into the leaf axils around the bud.

In here we have discussed the brief introduction of this Black Palm Beetle, How to identify its damage, its life cycle and control methods. In our previous articles, we have already mentioned out some other bugs and pest which harm for the coconut plantations.  Since the elimination of such pests are really essential to have better cultivations so we are a plan to discuss more on in our future article series.

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