Keep these crawlies out of N.Z.

Press, 28 December 1977, Page 13

Keep these crawlies out of N.Z.

This unfriendly and unpleasant looking fellow rejoices under the name of Oryctes Rhinoceros — the rhinoceros beetle. It is a blown-up photograph, but even at normal size he is not easily overloooked, being as large as the average man’s thumb. The adult beetle is black, often at least 4cm long and I.7cm wide, with a distinctive horn curved backward on its head. And

it can fight ferociously when cornered. It is one of the most serious pests of the coconut palm and is found throughout South-East Asia, the Philippines, southern China, and the Pacific Islands. It breeds in decaying organic matter, such as trunks and stumps of palms and trees, piles of sawdust, compost, manure, and grass clippings.

What makes this specimen of extra interest is that he was found at Wellington Airport in the baggage of a passenger from Fiji. The beetle needs relatively high humidity to survive; and New Zealand has no coconuts; so its discovery was not considered a serious threat. But its interception illustrates the continuing risk posed by people bringing in "souvenirs” of this type. The importation of other attractive specimens, such as the Colorado potato beetle or the Japanese beetle, could have a drastic effect on New Zealand’s economy.

OLIVER RIDDELL