Identification and Control Methods for the Tea Twig Bark Beetle

One of the boring pests of tea stems and branches, belonging to Coleoptera, Scolytidae, with the scientific name Xyleborus fornieatus Eie.

Distribution and damage: In China it occurs more frequently on Hainan Island and is a relatively threatening pest in tropical tea areas, boring into and damaging the stems and branches of tea, rubber, coffee, and other plants.

Morphology: The adult is a small beetle, body length 2.4mm, cylindrical. The pronotum is particularly well developed, with a raised dorsal surface; the surface of the forewings has several rows of dense punctures, and the wing tips slope downward, oval-shaped, off-white. Newly hatched larvae are off-white, newly hatched larvae are off-white, gradually turning white. The pupa is white, oval-shaped, about 2mm long.

Life habits: After adult emergence and mating, they bore holes on the main trunk or 1st- to 2nd-order branches within 0.5m above the ground, feeding on the xylem layer and forming relatively regular tunnels. On Hainan Island, January to February and April to June are the peak periods of adult damage.

Control: Prepare a 50-fold dilution of dichlorvos and inject it into the tunnels with a syringe to kill the insects. Adding a small amount of potassium acetate to fertilizer and applying it to the soil also has a very good control effect.