The coffee berry borer (CBB; Hypothenemus hampei) is an invasive beetle that causes extensive damage to coffee plantations worldwide. Controlling the CBB is difficult because it primarily resides inside coffee berries during its lifecycle, which limits the effectiveness of insecticide applications. Identifying periods of heightened female CBB flight activity can assist growers in making management decisions and evaluating integrated pest management programmes. This study monitored seasonal CBB activity using traps on coffee farms in the high mountain and Blue Mountain regions in Jamaica. Trap collection numbers were compared with berry infestation in the field. The highest CBB infestation levels occurred in November and October in the high mountain region and Blue Mountain region, respectively, coinciding with the presence of susceptible berries. CBB activity and infestation were similar in both study locations and were not significantly influenced by temperature or humidity; however, there was a notable correlation between CBB activity and infestation and the amount of rainfall. Differences in cultural control practices and cropping cycles were also observed between locations. The study lays the groundwork for understanding the dynamics of CBB populations in Jamaica, which is crucial for managing the beetle. Members of the research team are Ms. Ameka Myrie, Dr. Tannice Hall, Dr. Denneko Luke, Dr. Bhaskar Rao Chinthapalli, Prof. Paula Tennant and Dr. Dwight Robinson from the Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of The West Indies, Mona Campus.

Reference: Myrie, Ameka, Tannice Hall, Denneko Luke, Bhaskar Rao Chinthapalli, Paula Tennant and Dwight Robinson. Coffee Berry Borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Activity and Infestation in the High Mountain and Blue Mountain Regions of Jamaica. Insects 2023, 14, 694. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14080694, MDPI Journals

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