Hypothenemus hampei (Curculionidae)

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The coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei)is a small beetle native to Africa. It is recognised as the most harmful pest to coffee crops worldwide.  One of the most devastating coffee pests, the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei), has been found in several coffee farms in Kona. The coffee berry borer is a small beetle and is native to Central Africa and is also found in many coffeegrowing regions of the world, including Central and South America. The beetle bores into the coffee "cherry" to lay its eggs. The larvae feed on the coffee bean, reducing the yield and quality of the bean. Because the larvae are inside the bean, it makes it difficult to control by pesticides. Worldwide, the presence of the insect affects the economy of over 20 million families that depend on the coffee harvest. It has caused marked reduction in the prices of coffee reducing the sale price to growers. The beetle can destroy the entire harvest of an area, and is responsible for more than $500 million in damage to coffee plants every year around the globe.  The coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) was found on several farms in Kona on the Big Island (Hawaii) in early September 2010. At the time of its discovery, it was not known how the beetle landed on the Big Island,since Hawaii has strict importation rules that require all imported green coffee beans to be fumigated against pathogens and insects; coffee plants and plant parts are also restricted from being imported into the state under plant quarantine rules.   Officials at the Hawaii State Department of Agriculture say the beetle was discovered University of Hawaii graduate student who was in theprocess of conducting research. Upon its discovery in September 2010, Neil Reimer (Hawaii State Department of Agriculture) said, "It's pretty obvious to us that it's not a brand new infestation just because the extent."  Hypothenemus hampei is native to Angola. 

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HDOA coffee berry borer information
The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) presents information about the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei), discovered infesting coffee plantations in Kona (Big Island), Hawaii in 2010.

Species description or overview

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): a short review, with recent findings and future research directions 
Natural enemies of the coffee berry borer, the possible use of fungal endophytes for biocontrol, and factors that may attract the borer to the coffee plant, are reviewed (Terrestrial Arthropod Reviews, 2009).

Taxonomy & nomenclature

Coffee berry borer images
Images of coffee berry borer are from Forestry Images.

Identification

Pest alerts

Serious coffee pest detected in Kona
One of the most devastating coffee pests, the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei), has been found in several coffee farms in Kona, according to this Sept. 8, 2010 alert from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Coffee berry borer pest alert 
Images and preventive measures regarding the coffee berry borer are in the pest alert from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Impacts

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): a short review, with recent findings and future research directions 
Natural enemies of the coffee berry borer, the possible use of fungal endophytes for biocontrol, and factors that may attract the borer to the coffee plant, are reviewed (Terrestrial Arthropod Reviews, 2009).

Control methods

Images

Coffee berry borer image
Scanning electron micrograph of coffee berry borer is from Forestry Images.

Distribution

Coffee borer beetle information from Wikipedia
Taxonomy, description, life cycle, distribution, and references for the coffee berry borer are provided by Wikipedia.

In the news

Big Island coffee beans could be quarantined to fight pest
A quarantine of Hawaii coffee beans may be necessary to prevent the spread of the coffee berry borer, according to Department of Agriculture Plant Industry Division (Star-Advertiser, 9/14/2010).

Quarantine possible to contain coffee berry borer pest
Quarantine and other measures are considered to stop the spread of the coffee berry borer in Hawaii (West Hawaii Today, 9/14/2010).

Serious coffee pest detected in Kona 
The discovery of the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) in Kona is announced in a press release from the Hawaii Deparment of Agriculture (9/8/2010).

Full-text articles

A review of the biology and control of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) abstract
Abstract for coffee berry borer review article is from Bulletin of Entomological Research (2000). Subscription/purchase required for full article.

Other resources

Frequently Asked Questions regarding CBB
Questions about the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) are answered by Hawaii State Department of Agriculture.

Coffee grower sample submission form 
Coffee growers can submit berries suspected to be infested with Coffee Berry Borer (CBB), or suspect beetles to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture using this form.

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The Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project is currently funded by the Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN) of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) through PIERC (USGS) with support from HCSU (UH Hilo). More details are available online.

The content of this page is based on information last generated on 24 September 2011 by PT. The template for this page was created on 15 March 2004 by EMS, and was last updated on 20 February 2006 by PT.