Scarring Beetle

Introduction
BANANA (Musa spp.), one of the most important fruit crops, is mainly grown in the tropical and subtropical regions. Plantain, which belongs to the same family of Banana is of great economic importance and Iron-rich food source in Guyana. During recent years banana plantations in some parts of tropical America have suffered severely from attacks from the Banana Scarring Beetle, Colaspis hyperchlora, Lefevre (1878). This species has been found in Colombia (type locality), British Guiana, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, British Honduras and Mexico. More than 200 species of insect and non-insect pests attack Bananas (Simmonds, 1966 and Singh, 1970). In Guyana, it is estimated to date that area affected by this beetle is approximately 12.14 hectares.

Biology of Pest
Adults can produce between four to 40 eggs in batches. These are laid in the soil close to the plant roots, which have an incubation period of six to nine days.
The larvae stay in the soil feeding on plant roots and decaying materials. The larvae take approximately 20—22 days to develop., after which the pupa develops in the soil and takes about seven to 10 days. The immature stages survive best in damp conditions and therefore, the pest population strives best in rainy seasons.
The adults can survive from nine to 12 days and can be found hidden in sheltered areas of the plants. This beetle which operates in the night, and displays characteristics which are solitary, feeds on fruits which causes irreversible damage in the form of scars, making them unmarketable. Experts have revealed that damage by the beetle affects not just the exocarp (skin), has shown that the damage does affect the quality of the mesocarp.

Nature of Damage
The beetles feed on the young leaves and skin of young fruits, making scars and spots on the skin which deform it, and creates scars which are presented in an oval-shaped form and the fruit, making them unmarketable.
This insect sometimes lives in the heart of the pseudostem within the roll of the central leaf. The beetles are mostly found during the rainy season. The adult beetle feeds on various weeds as well as on young, unfurled banana leaves, stems, and roots. The larvae feed on the young roots and tunnel on the older roots to eat the tissues.
Management

MONITORING
Continuous monitoring must be done to understand the pest’s status. In doing so caution must be taken because damage caused by this beetle can be easily confused with that caused by the fruit-scarring bee Melipona (Trigona) Amalthea.

Cultural Methods of Control
Cultural methods of control, such as good drainage and clean cultivation and removal of trash, promote the exposure of immatures to desiccation. Elimination of flowers after the fruits are formed and removal of alternative host plants are highly recommended

Chemical Control
In accordance with the findings of DGSV-CNRF (2016) and what is available in Guyana, chemical control should consist mainly of enclosing the bunch inside an insecticide-treated bag. This practice, once widespread, is still recommended in South America. Bagging must be done before the flower starts to open. Alternatively, insecticides such as Carbaryl at 0.1% ai
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