Are riparian buffers a source of rhinoceros beetles in oil palm?

Pasukan Kumbang Badak (The rhinoceros beetle team) in action! The team started the fieldwork in January 2022 to answer the question: Are riparian buffers a source of rhinoceros beetles, a major pest in oil palm plantations?

We use vane traps with pheromone bags to capture the rhinoceros beetles. The traps are set up in transects which run from inside the riparian buffer, across the boundary, and out into the plantation.

Vane trap with pheromone bag Photo 2022 Chiew Li Yuen

Marked rhinoceros beetles with a series of dots on the elytra so each beetle’s movements can be tracked Photo 2022 Chiew Li Yuen

Each captured beetle is given a unique mark on their wing cases and released at the capture point, and then we hope to recapture it again, allowing individual movement patterns to be tracked across the landscape.

We are delighted that our project investigator, Prof. Eleanor Slade was finally able to join the team in the field to advise on the work on the ground.

A discussion with Wilmar team (R&D)

Visiting the mill operation in Wilmar (right) Photo 2022 Chiew Li Yuen

We are grateful to Wilmar International team in allowing us to work in their plantation and riparian sites, and arranging a visit to the mill with the operation team to learn how oil palm is processed. Written by: Chiew Li Yuen