BIOLOGY OF THE COCONUT TWO-COLORED BEETLE, PLESISPA REICHEI CHAPUIS

Abstract

The coconut two-colored beetle, Plesispa reichei. Chapuis, underwent 4 developmental stages, namely; egg, larva, pupa and adult. The larval stage had 4 instars with a total developmental period of 49.66 days for the females and 45.11 days for the males. An adult female laid an average of 64.28 eggs at the rate of 1 to 2 eggs per day. The egg is elongate and rounded at both ends. The larva is carabiform while the pupa is exarate. The adult male and female beetles can be differentiated through the depression at the center along the margin of the last abdominal segment which is more prominent in the male than in the female. The beetle can complete its development on the alternate hosts Borrasus flabellifera, Adonidia merilli and Caryota cumingii.