Some Notes on the Life-history and Habits of Theraptus sp. (Coreidae)

Extract

The life-history and bionomics of the Coreid bug, Theraptus sp., which causes premature nutfull of coconuts in Zanzibar, were studied in the laboratory and in the field.

From the various experiments carried out it is concluded that:—

The development of the insect from the egg to the adult took from 26–39½ days depending on temperature and the food available.

The average length of life of the female is 45 days during which time she may produce over 100 fertile eggs.

The primary host-plant of Theraptus is the coconut palm, but the bug readily infests mango, guava, cinnamon and cacao trees when they are fruiting.

The pest will attack and develop successfully on nuts from the newly emerged to the mature ones.

Agents which exert a measure of biological control include the tree-nesting ant, Oecophylla longinoda (Latr.), an internal Strepsipteran parasite, an unidentified Reduviid, two unidentified Hymenopterous egg-parasites and possibly some small ant species which prey on the eggs. Of these, only the ant, O. longinoda, is capable of giving complete protection to the palm which it occupies.