Coffee berry borer

Systematic position: Hypothenemus intricatus is a member of the order Coleoptera, family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae. This tiny beetle is recognized as a major pest that poses a significant threat to coffee production worldwide by targeting the seeds within the fruit.

Host plants: The primary host for this beetle is the coffee plant (Coffea species). The pest preferentially attacks mature coffee cherries, bores into the seeds, and causes direct yield reduction by destroying the endosperm of the coffee bean.

Biology and life cycle: The entire life cycle, excluding the initial adult dispersal, occurs inside the coffee cherry. Mated females penetrate the fruit and lay eggs within the developing seed. The larvae emerge and feed on the bean tissue until they reach the adult stage, often resulting in multiple generations overlapping within the same host fruit.

Damage patterns and economic impact: The damage is primarily caused by larvae burrowing through the coffee bean. This tunneling creates galleries that destroy the market value of the crop.

• Reduced bean weight.
• Increased susceptibility to secondary fungal infections.
• Poor quality of the final brewed product.

Control measures: Management strategies rely heavily on cultural practices such as rigorous sanitation and clean harvesting to remove infested berries from the field. Biological control agents, including specific fungi and parasitic wasps, are increasingly used alongside targeted insecticide applications and pheromone-based trapping to maintain low population densities.