A new pest is wreaking havoc: thousands of valuable trees are in danger

Over the past year, a previously little-known but increasingly dangerous pest has disrupted the lives of Hawaii's farmers. Due to the rapid spread of Acalolepta aesthetica, not only smaller plantations but the entire agricultural sector is now under threat. The cocoa, avocado, citrus, breadfruit, and kukui tree populations are suffering such extensive damage that farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to control. The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that the federal research institute responsible for managing the defense is operating with limited capacity due to a government shutdown. The beetle was first detected in the Puna region in 2009, and since then it has been expanding its territory year by year. The visible but often late-detected signs of infestation – the gnawing, sawdust-like excrement, and the slimy secretions – indicate that the larvae are already working in the cambium layer. If they girdle the trunk, the tree's nutrient supply ceases, and it ...