This document summarizes several insect pests that affect various plantation crops. It describes the tea mosquito bug and tea green leaf hopper, two major pests of tea. It also outlines the green coffee scale, stem borers, and helmet scale as key pests of coffee. For coconut, it discusses the rhinoceros beetle and red palm weevil. It then covers the tobacco eating caterpillar and cutworms as insect problems for tobacco. Finally, it briefly mentions the cashew stem and root borer as a pest of cashew nuts.

1. INSECT PEST OF PLANTATION CROPS
MADE BY MANISHA DUHAN
(RLBCAU002)

2. INSECT PEST OF TEA

3. TEA MOSQUITO BUG: HELOPELTIS THEIVORA
( MIRIDAE: HOMOPTERA)
Damagingstage – Nymphs and Adults
Nature of damage – They suck sap from leaves, buds and
tender stems.

4. LIFE CYCLE
Adult lay eggs on midrib of leaves
Fecundity- 100
Incubation period- 10-13 days
Nymphal period- 22-23 days
Adult – Blackhead, pale yellow and black thorax, yellow and
greenish black abdomen.
Nymph is dirty yellow

6. SYMPTOMS
 Leaves show many dry parts due to feedingand also injection
of toxic saliva
 Die back symptoms

7. MANAGEMENT
 Collection and destruction of parts with pest
 Spraying withDimethoate1.7 ml /200lof water
 Helopeltisare predated by Oxyopes sheweta (Lynx spider).

8. TEA GREEN LEAF HOPPER: EMPOASCA
FLAVESCENS
( CICADELLIDAE: HOMOPTERA)
 Damagingstage- Nymphs and Adults
 Nature of damage – They suck sap from leaves

9. LIFE CYCLE
Eggs are laid by inserting in the tissue of new tea buds and shoot, particularly in the
internode. In onebud upto 7eggsarelaid.
Fecundity 100 eggs during herlifetime.
Depending on the temperature, the eggs will hatch after 5-10days, producing
nymphs. There arefive nymph stages.
The total nymphal development period is 7 - 16 days being faster in warm weather
condition.
So, it takes from 12 - 30 days for leafhoppers to complete a generation.
There can beas many as 10 generations in a year.
Thelife span of the adults is 14 - 21 days; females in general live longer than males.

10.  Nymphs are more damaging than adults. Due tointensive
sucking the affectedleaves curl downwards; the margins
become curved, then turn brown and gradually dry up. This
typical symptom is called “Rim Blight”.
 The midrib and veins of affectedleaves also show some what
brownish discoloration. Photosynthetic activities is drastically
reduceddue to loss of chlorophyll, this coupled with imbalance
in growth hormones results in stunted plant growth.

11. MANAGEMENT
 NaturalPredators:
Ladybeetles,Neuropterans,praying mantidsfeedon leafhoppers
 Tea growingunder shade treestends tohave less leafhoppers
problem.Mulching alsohelpstoincreasehumidityand therefore
reduceleafhopperpopulations.
 Spraying with Verticilliumlecanii@ 2 gm/ltr
 Useoflighttaps
 NSKE 5%
 Sprays withMonocrotophos @ 1.25ml/ltr

12. INSECT PEST OF COFFEE

13.  GREEN COFFEE SCALE: Coccus viridis
 (Coccidae: Homoptera)
 Thegreen scale is aserious sucking pest
 DamagingStage: Nymphs &Adults
 Natureof damage& Symptoms:
 Nymphs andadultssucks sap fromundersurfaceoftheleaves,green
shoots,spikesand berries.
 Upwardcurling andtender twigsdrop
 Honeydew excrete– developmentofsooty mouldfungus
 Heavy loss ofthe sapcauses debilityor evendeathoftheplant
 Defoliationofbadlyaffectedtrees

14. LIFE CYCLE
 Scales are ovoviviparous males are rare, femalelay about 300
eggs in her lifetime of 2-5 months.The hatchingof eggsoccurs in
few hours but theyoung ones remain under thescale for few
days and thencrawl out and find succulentplace for feeding,
there are 3 nymphalinstars thenthey become adult.

15. Green coffee scale on stem &
leaf

16. MANAGEMENT
 Preventative :
 Collection anddestructionofinfestedplantparts.
 Controlofants (Chlorpyriphos/ Malathiondust 5%)
 Removeand burn weedswhich harbour thescale.
 Thenaturalpredators ofcoffeescalesuch as wasps,ladybird beetle
andVerticilliumfungus.
 Chemical:
 Spraying of oils at 10ml/Lwaterappliedas a spray to affectedplants.
 Only spray if10 or more leavesare infested&spray mustcompletely
wetand cover thescales.

17.  There are two species
 Red & whitestemborer.
 RED STEM BORER: Zeuzera coffeae(Cossidae:Lepidoptera)
 Identificationof the pest :
 Adult- orange colour, mediumsized moth
 The adult has white and black spotted wings
 The larva is red coloured
STEM
BORERS

18. Adult moth, larva
and pupa

19. LIFE CYCLE
 Eggs are usuallylaid singly on thebark
 Eggs hatch in 8– 12 days and larval development takes 3 – 4
months
 Pupationtakes place inside thestem and the adult emerges in
about 2 months
 Adult is a nocturnalmoth

20.  Damaging Stage : Larva
 Nature of damage:
 Caterpillar bores intothe stemor branches & feeds on the
wood.
 In early stages of attack, young plants or braches show
wilting.
 Pellet-likeexcrementof the larva hangsout and accumulates
at the base of theplant.
 In advanced cases, thebranch dries up.

21. MANAGEMEN
T
 Affected plants or twigs- cut and burnt.
 Providing good shade to plantation.
 Growing coffee at higheraltitudes (above 800 MSL)
 Field release of white muscardine fungusB.bassianaand
braconid parasite Amyosomazeuzerae.
 Spraying NSKE at 4 percent.

22. WHITE STEM BORER :XYLOTRECHUS
QUADRIPES
(CERAMBICEDAE: COLEOPTERA)
 Identification of the pest:
 Adult - slender, long beetle (2.5 cm).
 Forewings are black with white bands.
 Males are generally smaller than females.
 Head :
 Malebeetle -possesses distinctly raisedblack ridges.
 Female beetle these ridges are inconspicuous
 The lifecycle of both pests is completed during the rainy season, but often
damage is more evident during the dry season.
 Grub: White or yellowish in colour, club shaped.
 Damaging stage: Grub

23. Adult (male & female) and
larva

24.  Femalelays eggs in crevices of bark of stem.
 Fecundity: 50-100 eggs
 Incubation:8-10 Days
 Larval period: 8-9 months
 Pupalperiod: 25-30 Days
 Pupationis instem
 PeakActivity: April- May & Oct- Nov
LIFE CYCLE

25. NATURE OF DAMAGE
 Larvae enter into thehardwood and makethe tunnelsmay
extend even into the roots.
 Tunnels- tightlyfiledwith theexcreta of the grubs.
 Infestedplants show visible ridges around the stem.
 Yellowingand wiltingof leaves.
 Affected branches are easilybroken off.
 Young plants (7 to 8 years old) attacked by the borer may diein
a year.

26. MANAGEMENT
 Maintain optimum shade in the plantations
 Tracethe infested plants – prior to flight periods (i.e, during March and
September)
 Every year -looking for ridges on the main stem and thick primaries.
 Collars prune the infested plants, uproot and burn the affected parts.
 Remove the loose scaly bark of the main stem and thick primaries using coir
glove or coconut husk – kill the eggs
 Scrubbling during flight periods -kills the eggs and grubs present in the bark
region.
 Deep scrubbing should be avoided ( sharp implement may injure the green
wood and eventually kill the plant)

27. HELMET SCALE: SAISSETIA COFFEA
(HEMIPTERA : COCCIDAE)
 The hemisphericalscale is distributed in thetropics and in some
sub-tropical areas.
NATURE OF DAMAGE
 Hemispherical scales feed on plant juices and cause a loss of
vigor, spots on thefoliagedue to toxinsin thescale saliva,
deformation of infestedplant parts, loss of leaves, retarded plant
growth.

28. LIFE CYCLE
EGGS
 Theeggs arelaid underneath the carapaceof the adult female .The eggs aretranslucent
orwhitish just after oviposition and later turn pale yellow and ultimately orange
NYMPHS
 Thefirst instars are called crawlers. They are flat, oval, greenish-brown to pale amber,
have six legs andare about the same size as the eggs.This is the only mobile stage of
female hemispherical scales.The remaining two nymphal stages areessentially
stationary at the site selected by the crawler, only underadverse conditions will female
nymphs movesmall distances.
ADULT
 Theadult stage is incapable of locomotion and measures about 1/12 inch (2 mm) long.

29. INSECT PEST OF COCONUT

30. RHINOCEROS BEETLE: ORYCTES RHINOCERUS
(COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE)

31. LIFE CYCLE

32. NATURE OF DAMAGE
 Centralspindle appears cut or toppled
 Fullyopened fronds showingcharacteristic diamond shaped
cuttings
 Holes withchewed fibre sticking outat thebase of central
spindle.

33. MANAGEMENT
 Remove and burn alldead coconut trees in the garden (which are likely to
serve asbreeding ground) to maintaingood sanitation
 Field release of Baculovirus inoculated adult rhinoceros beetle @ 15/ha
reduces the leaf and crown damage caused by this beetle.
 Apply mixture of either neem seed powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm
or neem seed kernel powder + sand (1:2) @150 g per palm in the base of
the 3 inner most leaves in the crown
 Place phorate 10 G 5 g inperforated sachets in two inner most leaf axilsfor
2 times at 6 months intervals.
 Examine the crowns of tree at every harvest and hook out and killthe
adults.

34. RED PALM WEEVIL:
RHYNCHOPHORUS FERRUGINEUS
(COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE)

35. LIFE CYCLE

36. NATURE OF DAMAGE
 Holes on trunkwith withbrownish ooze
 Yellowing of inner leaves
 Gradual wiltingof central shoot in the crown

37. MANAGEMENT
 Remove and burn all wiltingor damaged palms in coconut
gardens to prevent furtherperpetuationof thepest.
 Settingup of attractanttraps (mud pots) containingsugarcane
molasses 2½ kg or toddy 2½ litres + acetic acid 5 ml + yeast 5 g +
longitudinallysplit tender coconut stem/logs of greenpetioleof
leaves of 30 numbers inone acre to trap adult red palm weevils in
large
numbers.
 Installpheromone trap @1/2 ha

39. COCONUT SCALE: ASPIDIOTUS DESTRUCTOR
(HEMIPTERA: DIAPSIDAE)
SYMPTOMS
 Paleyellow spots on leaves;entireleavesyellowing;leavesturning
brown anddropping prematurely;adult insectis aflattenedoval,
resemblinga scale,which isred-brown.
MANAGEMENT
 Maybepossibletocontrol coconut scaleby pruning infestedparts of
treesand destroyingby burning;chemicalcontrol maybenecessary

40. INSECT PEST OF TOBACCO

41. TOBACCO EATING CATTERPILLAR
SPODOPTERA LITURA
(NOCTUIDAE:LEPIDOPTERA)
Adults are medium sized, stout bodied moths
FW: are dark browncolored with zigzag white markings
HW : are white in colour with out markings with a brown border .

42. Eggs: Eggsarelaid inbatches
andcovered with brown
coloured hairs on the
tender leaves
I.P-7-10days
Early instars Later instar
LIFE CYCLE
Larva: there are 5 larval instars
Thefull growncaterpillar is about3.5cmlong
andpale greento brown Colourwith darkmarks
on thebody
L.P-15-20days
Pupa:it pupatesinthesoil
P.P–7-10daysAdultmoth

43. The fullgrown caterpillaris about
3.5cm long andpale green to brown
Colour withdark marks on the body

44. NATURE OF DAMAGE
 Earlyinstarslarvae feed gregariouslyand cause skeletonization
 Later instarsdisperse and feed voraciously on foliage, only stalk
is left, During day time hide undersoil
 The maximum damage is caused to the nurseryand youngplants
not only feeds on leaves but also cutsthe seedling at groundlevel
 Inseverecase theplants arecompletely destroyed
Caterpillar
Caterpillars feeds on leavesEarly instars larvae

45. MANAGEMENT
-Ploughing in summer.
-Collection and destruction of egg masses.
-Clipping of leaves having swarms of tiny larvae.
-Fenvalerate 0.02% gavequick mortality of S.litura in the tobacco field.
-Application of Carbaryl 0.1% in field.
-Sprays of NeemSeedKernelSuspension @ 2% (NSKS 2%) in nursery.
-Adoption of Integrated Pest Managementapproaches which increases the
cured leaf yield kg/ha.
-Application of Btformulations (Biolep andBioasp @ 2 kg/ha) reducesthe
seedlings as well as leaves damage by the Spodoptera litura in tobacco
nurseries.
-Use Monocrotophos andClorpyriphos baits for Spodopteralitura.-

46. CUTWORMS: AGROTIS IPSILON
(NOCTUIDAE: LEPIDOPTERA)
The adult isfairly larger in size, with a wingspan of 40 to 55 mm
 Fore wing ispale brown with dark purplish brown along costal end.
 Hind wing is white with brown tinge.
 Male hasbipectinate antennaand female has filiform antenna

48. NATURE OF DAMAGE
 Caterpillar cuts the stalk of seedlings as wellas transplanted
plants at ground level.
 They feed onlyat nightand may be foundin theday timeeither
just below soil level or under leaves.

49. MANAGEMENT:
Monocrotophos 0.24 kg a.i./ha as foliar spray were found
effectiveagainst cutworm in cigar wrapper tobacco field.

50. INSECT PEST OF CAHEWNUT

51. CASHEW STEM AND ROOT BORER:
PLOCAEDERUS FERRUGINEUS
(CERAMBYCIDAE: COLEOPTERA)

52. LIFE CYCLE
 Ovoid, dirty whiteeggs laidunder loose bark in their early stages
and into thewood intheir late stages. Eggperiod 4-6 days. Full
grown grub measures 7.5 cm and tunnelsits way into theroot
region, grub period 6-7 months.Pupationoccurs in a calcareous
pupalchamber and pupalperiod 60 days. Life cycle completed in
one year.

53. NATURE OF DAMAGE
 Stem borer infection couldbe easily identified by the presence of small
bore holes at the collar region. Extrusionof frass (like coarsedust
powder) throughthe holes at the collar region.Oozingof gum at the
base of cashew tree trunk. The grubsthat hatchoutbore into the bark
and feed onthe sub-epidermal andvascular tissues. Extensive tunneling
inthe stem and root region andthe tissues are tunnelled in irregular
fashion.As a result of damagethe supply of water andnutrients is
arrested bywhichthe leaves turnyellow andare shed and finallyleads
to the death of the tree.

54. MANAGEMENT
 Trimming and destroying infestedbranches, and theremoval of
bark, frass and larvae from attackedtrunksfollowed by an
application of tar.
 Inject carbon disulphide into tunnelsand seal withmud