The adult beetles of Oryctes rhinoceros are large with 30-57 mm long, 14-21 mm breadth, black and reddish black in colour, stout and possess a characteristic cephalic horn, which is larger in males.

Life cycle: Whitish brown eggs are 3 to 4 mm long and take 8 to 12 days to hatch. The eggs are laid in manure pits and the grubs develop in Farmyard manure pits. Development period is 1st instar larva 10-21 days, 2nd instar larvae 12 to 21 days, 3rd larvae 60 to 165 days, pre-pupae 8 to 13 days and pupae 17-28 days. Mature larvae are C-shape with brown head capsule and legs. The life cycle lasts from 4 to 9 months allowing more than one generation per year. In India average adult longevity is about 4.7 months and fecundity per female is 108 days.

Rhinolure for the management of coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros

Rhinolure is an aggregation pheromone effective in mass trapping both males and females of the coconut rhinoceros beetle. The active compound 4-methyl octanoate serving as an attractant is supplied as bubble formulation in sachets and the chemical is suspended in septa. The trap should be installed at about 5 feet from the ground level and is effective @ 1/ha. The septa can be suspended in the upper lid of the bucket, taking care to avoid direct sunlight as it would be affecting the performance of the lure. The bucket should contain holes and rough corrugations on the lateral sides just below the upper lid so that the beetles that are attracted, alight on this rough surface for entering the holes.

            Rhinolure is available in all the agro service centres all over Tamil Nadu. The cost of the trap ranges from Rs.400- 450 /- from different suppliers. The lure comes under the following names

1) Rhinolure trap (Chemtica Ltd.), Chem Exports Pvt. Ltd. Semmanur, Trichur.

2) Rhinolure trap from PCI India Ltd, Bangalore.

3) Rhinolure trap from Brooklands, Bangalore.

4) Local addresses

a) Pest Control India Limited, Karthick Associates,
1669, Trichy Road, Near Sri Krishna Sweets,
Ramanathapuram, Coimbatore -18 (Mobile: +91 9442159462).

b) Amman Agencies,7, New Scheme Road, Behind Gandhi Statue, Pollachi.

c) TamilNadu Agroservice, Coimbatore Road, Pollachi.

d) SS Pesticides, Udumalapet Road, Pollachi.