The beetle breeds in decaying palm trunks or other organic matter like sawdust or compost heaps.

[5] Through human activity, it has been accidentally introduced into a larger number of tropical islands in the Pacific starting with Samoa where larvae arrived in 1909 with the soil of rubber seedlings from Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

[8][7][9] Oryctes rhinoceros is a large dynastid beetle with a length of 35–50 mm and a dark-brown to black colour.

[11][12][13] Female beetles typically arrive first at a decaying coconut trunk for breeding and start preparing the trunk for egg laying by breaking up the wood into small particles, suitable for consumption by the freshly hatched first instar larvae.

However, the development of the larvae can be significantly delayed by unsuitable conditions like low temperatures or a sub optimal breeding substrate.

They remain at the breeding site for an additional three to four weeks until their cuticle is hardened and their flight muscles and reproductive organs are fully developed.

Adult beetles live up to six months and during this period they attack palm trees, mate and lay eggs several times.

[5] The coconut rhinoceros beetle attacks a palm at the base of the fronds (leaves) where they are attached to the growing trunk.

For example, in Hawaii the budget for fiscal 2025 provides support for the control of 6 specific invasive species with the largest amount ($ 2.4 million) being allocated to the fight against the coconut rhinoceros beetle.

[21] Secondly, the leaf area naturally reduced through O. rhinoceros attacks was estimated in groups of palms damaged to different degrees.

Apart from how abundant breeding sites are, the severity of an outbreak depends mainly on two factors, on the ground vegetation, as well as the presence/absence of the most important natural control agent, the Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (see below).

On the other hand, if the trunks lie on the ground and are hidden by vegetation (e.g. overgrown by a cover crop), most beetles will not find them.

[11][23] In West Africa the fast-growing vine Pueraria javanica has been used very successfully to prevent breeding by Oryctes monoceros in coconut and oil palm trunks.

Pheromone traps have been also used for control, as well as for monitoring and for determining the incidence of virus infections in O. rhinoceros populations.

[26] However, there is little evidence that native or introduced predators and parasitoids cause a significant impact on the populations of the coconut rhinoceros beetle.

Parasitoids like Scolia ruficornis can be common in sawdust heaps where the adult wasps can find and reach the larvae relatively easily.

[13][26] A virus disease of O.rhinoceros, the Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus, turned out to be the most effective natural control agent.

It was later found to occur naturally in other countries within the native range of the beetle like the Philippines, Indonesia and India.

A second disease agent the fungus Metarhizium majus is also effective in controlling coconut rhinoceros beetles in breeding sites.

In Samoa, the very soft decaying wood from the large trunks of kapok trees (Ceiba) has given good results.