Cryptoblabes gnidiella Millière, 1867

Fornazier, M. J., Martins, D. S., Fanton, C. J. & Benassi, V. L. R. M., 2019, INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT IN CONILON COFFEE, Conilon coffee - The Coffea canephora produced in Brazil, Vitória, ES, Brasil: Incaper - Capixaba Institute for Research, Technical Assistance and Rural Extension, pp. 493-533 : 2030-2031

Cryptoblabes gnidiella Millière, 1867 ( Lepidoptera : Pyralidae )

Description and Biology

The caterpillars are dark brown and live in small groups weaving a small silk web between the fruits and the conilon coffee rosettes; entangle the remaining residues of flowering ( Figure 12 ).They reach from 10 to 11 mm in length. The adults are small moths of 7.5 to 8 mm wingspan, predominantly dark gray.

They occur throughout the productive cycle, from the emission of the flower buds until near the harvest.

Losses

The caterpillars mainly damage the bark of the base and the fruits peduncle, leading to their fall. It has been an important pest in the conilon coffee culture of Espírito Santo ( FORNAZIER et al., 2000d).

Method of control

The caterpillars control should be done when they are small, in initial instars, because as larger they become, more difficult is their control. In the initial stage, satisfactory results have been obtained with the microbial insecticide based on Bacillus thuringiensis (0.5 kg/ha).

For honeydew moth caterpillar efficient control, one should be aware of its occurrence, especially in the initial stages of flowering and the fruits development in order to start the spraying on the attacked terrains. The application technology is of fundamental importance, because this caterpillar is protected between the grains and the silk web that surrounds the floral residues. It is important that a high volume of syrup is used in order to make the product to get in contact with the insect (MARTINS; FORNAZIER, 2002).

Figures

Figure12.Young form and pupa of the honeydewmoth caterpillar and damages the coffee tree rosette.