Agricultural officials on Hawaii Island are responding to a new sighting of an invasive beetle that kills palm trees.

• A live coconut rhinoceros beetle turned up in a trap in the Kurtistown area.
• Biosecurity officers are setting up a one-mile search zone around the site to look for more beetles and breeding grounds.
• More traps are going up in the area to track how far the pest has spread.
• The beetle damages coconut and other palm trees by boring into the crown to feed on sap, which can kill the tree.

Outlook: Expect expanded trapping and monitoring on Hawaii Island as officials try to confirm whether this is an isolated beetle or a sign of a larger breeding population.