The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei, which originates from Africa, is one of the most serious pests of commercial coffee and is now present in most of the major coffee growing parts of the world. Quite recently, this beetle spread into Mexico and Ecuador and is now causing serious economic losses in these two countries. In 1985, a classical biological control programme was started to control the pest using the bethylid, Prorops nasuta and other hymenopterous natural enemies from Africa. During the programme, various studies were conducted in Kenya on P. nasuta and H. hampei including their field distribution and life history. A technique of rearing and screening P. nasuta against plant diseases was developed and several shipments have now been made to Ecuador and Mexico. In 1988 a continuous laboratory culture of P. nasuta had been established in Ecuador and the wasp was also reported to be reproducing in sleeves cages in the field.
