Pest Photo

New guinea sugarcane weevil

Rhabdoscelus obscurus

New guinea sugarcane weevil (Rhabdoscelus obscurus) is an insect pest of sugarcane and coconut trees. It is a native of New Guinea and was first detected in Hawaii.

This pest is a primary pest of sugarcane and coconut, but can also exploit betelnut and papaya trees. Larvae feed on the inner stem of the cane or tree, creating structural weakness which leads to plants falling over. Cultural and biological controls are used to control populations of this pest.

For more information about this plant pest, see the CAPS data sheet and the CABI data sheet.