Insect Pests of Fruit, Plantation, Medicinal & Aromatic Crops (2+1)

1. Rhinoceros beetle - Oryctes rhinoceros Linn. (Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera)

Damage

• The adult beetles bores into the stem causing wilting of plants.
Management

• Remove and destroy damaged plants.
• Collect and destroy various bio-stages from manure pits.
• Mix entomogenous fungal culture of Metarhizium anisopliae in the manure pits during cooler months to attack grubs.
• Encourage Reduviid bugs, Platymeris laevicollis to attack adults.
• Hook out and kill adults from the base of stems.
• Set up light traps following first rains in summer and monsoon period to attract adults.
• Soak castor cake at 1 kg in 5 1 of water in small mud pots and keep them in the pineapple garden to attract the adults.
• Use Rhinolure vane trap for attracting adults.