Stop One CRB, Stop Exponential Growth

Aloha CRB Action Kaua’i Friends.

The first two CRB to be found on Kaua’i were likely imported with packaged soil from O’ahu….that was just in May of 2023…and now we have them from Haena to Kekaha with beetle pressure increasing daily. 

Based on the data we can find from various sites, it appears that the average lifetime of a female beetle is roughly one year, and, during that time, she lays about 90 eggs.  About 1/3 of them survive to become about 30 adult beetles, and we can guess that about half of those are fresh lady beetles. So, if my math is correct, for the next three years, if we don’t make any major efforts to eliminate breeding sites or to trap and kill beetles, we would end up with each of the female beetles that are now alive turning into 450 adult beetles in early 2028.  If half of the beetles alive right now are females, then that would be 225 times the number of beetles on island now.  That is a five alarm fire, and we are already in “beetle flames” in many parts of the island! On the other hand, if we get busy eliminating breeding sites and trapping and killing beetles, we could possibly manage our beetle population and preserve many of our palms until the time that a bio control organism is released.  That is worth fighting for!

If you have any questions or suggestions, please use the chat button on the site, and we’ll be able to respond to your questions and/or include any new information you bring to the tables.

So, here’s to working together — all of us on Kaua’i!  We have a close-knit and amazing community, and that cooperation is what it will take to preserve the beauty and food sources on Kaua’i.  It is part of our history!  Imua!

Warmest wishes,

Merlyn

Coordinator, CRB Action Kaua’i