Other common name: Coffee-bean weevil
Scientific name: Araecerus fasciculatus
Distribution
Tropical and subtropical regions; likely originated from the Indo-Australian region.
Pest Type
Primary pest
Identification
Adult: 3.0–5.0 mm, oval, mottled and dark brown in colour. The last three segments of the antennae are enlarged into a lose club.
Larvae: Scarabeiform, legs partly developed.
Life Cycle
At optimum conditions of 28-32 ℃ temperature and >60% relative humidity, the life cycle will be completed in 22-66 days. The eggs are laid onto seed and root. As soon as the larvae hatch, they bore into the commodity and complete the development inside a single seed. The adults emerge and leave an exit hole; they fly, do not feed on commodities, and are short-lived.
Commodities attacked
Cocoa, coffee, dried cassava and yams, maise, groundnuts, Brazil nuts, nutmegs, etc.
Economic importance
High on high-value crops but low elsewhere.