Chinese Rose Beetles: A Life in the Dark
Community Contributed
By Glenn I. Teves, Extension Agent, UH CTAHR
The Chinese Rose Beetle, Odoretus sinicus, is one of the most insidious and troublesome garden and yard pests due its wide host range. It can feed on over 250 species of plants, including taro, beans, corn, eggplant, okra, banana, cacao, ohia lehua, heliconia, and roses. First reported in Hawaii in 1891, the Chinese Rose Beetle is found throughout Asia and the Pacific.
Due to our strange weather this summer, we’ve been having more than our share of Chinese Rose Beetles. Its signature holes in leaves looks like someone took a buckshot to your plants, and its damage can stunt and even kill plants.…