Major Insect Pests

of Coconut and Their

Control

AMBROSIO RAUL R. ALFILER

Division Chief III
Entomology-Epidemiology Division
Philippine Coconut Authority- Albay Research Center
Rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhinoceros L.
Destructive Stage
Adult beetle
Damage by rhinoceros beetle on Coconut
Damage by rhinoceros beetle on Oil Palm
 Damage by rhinoceros beetle

Oil Palm Coconut

Control of Rhinoceros beetle
 Biological Control
Use of microbial pathogens

Baculovirus of Green Muscardine

Rhinoceros beetle Fungus or GMF
 Oryctes Baculovirus symptoms

Dissolution of internal organs

Healthy Infected Enlarged

intestine

Diarrhea

Shortened adult life span

Infertility
Baculovirus disease of rhinoceros beetles
Virus transmission

male female

parent offspring
Inoculating rhinoceros beetles
in a baculovirus solution
Release of baculovirus-infected beetles
in coconut plantations at dusk
 Healthy larvae

Metarhizium anisopliae
or Green Muscardine Fungus (GMF)

Infected larvae
 Mass production of
Metarrhizium anisopliae
using corn substrate
Log traps to be inoculated with GMF
for rhinoceros beetle control
Stumps to be inoculated
with GMF for
rhinoceros beetle
control
Biological Control
Selective trapping using an aggregation
pheromone
Oryctes Aggregation Pheromone Traps
 Plantation Sanitation
Removal of Breeding sites
 Plantation
Sanitation

Utilization of
coconut timber
for lumber and
decorative and
utilitarian items
 Intercropping

Promotes
plantation
sanitation and
reduces breeding
sites

Increases farm
productivity
 Coconut-
pineapple

Coconut-
cassava
 Coconut -
Corn

Coconut-
Coffee-
Papaya
 Mechanical Control

Manual removal of
beetles from palms and
application of coal tar
on wounds
Chemical Control

Application of
insecticide-treated
sawdust at the leaf
axils to protect
young palms from
rhinoceros beetle
attack
Coconut Leaf Beetle Brontispa longissima
Destructive Stage
Adults and larvae
Damage by Brontispa
on coconut
Damage by Brontispa
on coconut
Damage by Brontispa on coconut
Damage by Brontispa on other palms

Royal Palm
Damage by Brontispa on other palms

Foxtail Palm
Damage by Brontispa on other palms

Manila Palm
 OTHER HOST PLANTS
Areca Palm Chrysalidocarpus lutescens
Betel Nut Palm Areca catechu
Sago Palm Metroxylon sagu
Chinese Fan Palm Livistonia chinensis
Fox tail Palm Wodyetia bifurcata
Nipa Palm Nypa frutican
Royal Palm Roystonea regia
Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis
Fish Tail Palm Caryota mitis
Ivory Nut Palm Phytelephas sp.
Mexican Fan Palm Washingtonia robusta
Dwarf Date Palm Phoenix roebelenii
Control of Brontispa longissima
 Biological Control
Use of microbial pathogens

Metarhizium anisopliae Beauvaria bassiana

against Brontispa against Brontispa
 Mass production of
M. Anisopliae (GMF)
& B. bassiana (WMF)
Spraying of
Beauveria bassiana
against Brontispa
6 months after
Biological Control
Use of predators

Earwigs against
Brontispa larvae

Euborella annulata

Chelisoches morio
Earwigs against Brontispa larvae
Mass rearing of
predatory earwig,
Chelisoches morio
Field release
of Earwig
6 months after
 Biological Control
Use of parasitoids

Tetrastichus brontispae,
against Brontispa
Normal Brontispa larvae

Parasitized Brontispa larvae

Parasitoid field
release
 Parasitoids have
igh degree
of specificity
8 months after
12 months after
18 months after
16 months after
16 months after
 Mechanical Control
Removal of infested fronds (young palms)
 Mechanical Control
Bagging and removal of infested fronds (old palms)
 Mechanical Control
Removal and burning of infested fronds
CHEMICAL CONTROL
Use of pesticides
Synthetic pesticides
Active ingredient Sample brand name
Aldicarb Temik 10G
Dichlorvos Nogos 50EC
Methidathion Supracide 40WP
Fenthion Lebaycid 50EC
Quinalphos Bayrusil 25EC
Azinphos methyl Gustathion A 40EC
Monocrotophos Azodrin 60WSC
Chlorfenvinhos Birlane 24EC
idiofenphos Nuvanol 50WP
Botanical biocides Tuba tuba
(Croton tiglium)
Tubang bakod
(Jatropa curcas)

Tubli
(Derris elliptica)
 Botanical biocides
Luyang dilaw
(Curcuma longa)

Marigold
(Tagetes erecta)
Pesticide spraying of young palms
 Chemical Control
Application of botanical biocides on infested palms
Trunk injection of mature palms
Systemic Insecticides

Active ingredient Sample brand name

Acephate Orthene 75%WP
Dimethoate Perfekthion 50%EC
Methamidophos Monitor 20%EC
Thiamethoxam Actara 25WG
Insecticide Application Safety

Disposal
Mixing

Spraying
Before 6 months after

Royal palms sprayed with insecticide

 ISSUES ON PESTICIDE USE

Pest re-infestation
Insecticide resistance
Environmental safety
Health concerns
High cost
Farming systems (Organic farming)
Regulatory Control
BPI Special Quarantine Order
No. 03
Series of 2005
Declaring Coconut Leaf Beetle,
Brontispa longissima (Gestro) an
Invasive Quarantine Pest of Coconut,
Cocos nucifera, and Providing
Measures to Regulate and
Prevent its Spread
 EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 664
Establishing emergency measures to
control and eradicate the spread and
damage of Brontispa in the Philippine
coconut industry and designating the
Philippine Coconut Authority as the
lead agency for the purpose

September 25, 2007

Land-based plant quarantine checkpoint
Plant quarantine checkpoint at seaports
 Control of Coconut Pests
Restoring coconut productivity with
appropriate control strategies
 Control of Coconut Pests
Complementing traditional farmers practices with
practical and appropriate pest control measures