Scarabaeidae, Latreille, 1802

Matsunaga, Janis N., Howarth, Francis G. & Kumashiro, Bernarr R., 2019, New State Records and Additions to the Alien Terrestrial Arthropod Fauna in the Hawaiian Islands, Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 51 (1), pp. 1-71 : 5

Scarabaeidae

Protaetia orientalis (Gory & Percheron)

New island records

While Protaetia orientalis was first discovered on Oahu in 2002, populations have exploded in recent years, making this relatively large beetle (between 2 cm and 2.5 cm) a surprising sight to residents and a consistently reported pest. Adults can be sometimes be seen aggregating in large numbers on overripe fruit and fruit-producing flowers, especially the inflorescence of palm trees, mangoes, and lychee. Although reports from Oahu residents have suggested that these larger groups of feeding beetles can damage flowers and in some cases reduce fruit yield, there have not been any scientific studies to date.

Collection records: HAWAII, Keaukaha, 30.I.2013, ex. larvae under ironwood log, coll. Q. Maeda, det. B. Kumashiro, 1.II.2013. Hawi, 11.II.2014, on Cocos nucifera foliage, coll. K. Fujimoto, det. M. Ramadan, 16.V.2014. KAUAI, Lihue, 20.V.2015, on avocado tree, coll. S. Rapozo, det. B. Kumashiro; Puhi, 24.VI.2015, ex. larvae in mulch at residence, coll. Angelo, det. B. Kumashiro. MAUI, Kahului , 15.IX.2010, ex. feeding on Zea mays corn ear, coll. M. Fukada, det. B. Kumashiro, 4.X.2010. Vouchers at HDOA.