Dose response of coconut rhinoceros beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) to 92 kV x-ray irradiation

To evaluate the potential suitability of x-ray irradiation as a physical control method for invasive Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) (Oryctes rhinoceros Linnaeus 1758; Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), either through sterile insect technique (SIT) or through direct irradiation of naturally infested materials in the field, we recorded longevity of eggs, larval and adult life stages of CRB irradiated with different doses of x-rays emitted from a tube energized at 92 kV. Eggs and larvae were highly susceptible to radiation at all tested doses (down to about 2–5 Gy), though adults required larger doses (at least 50 Gy) to render them incapable of reproducing. At exposures near 50 Gy sterilized adults nevertheless were observed to survive for more than a month, suggesting SIT may be a viable control approach for this beetle. Similarly, these results may facilitate the discovery of hidden breeding sites in the wild by tagging and releasing sterilized adults. While larvae were highly susceptible to x-ray irradiation, irradiation would probably not be an effective tool for field control due to rapid attenuation of radiation energy (exponential decay coefficients ranging from about 0.3–0.6 cm⁻¹) in the organic nesting materials we tested, and the tendency for CRB adults to burrow and oviposit deep in mulch (1 m or more).