Coffee-pest
Guides
Acharia extensa
Acharia extensa is a species of slug caterpillar moth in the family Limacodidae. It occurs in Mexico and the southern United States, with records from southern Florida. The larvae feed on a documented range of host plants including Inga species, oaks (Quercus), Byrsonima crassifolia, and coffee (Coffea arabica). Like other members of the genus Acharia, the larvae likely possess stinging spines characteristic of the family.
Araecerus
coffee bean weevil (A. fasciculatus)
Araecerus is a genus of fungus weevils in the family Anthribidae, containing several species including the economically significant coffee bean weevil. The genus includes both described species and multiple undescribed species discovered in Papua New Guinea. Species within this genus are primarily associated with seeds and fruits, with some exhibiting broad polyphagy on stored agricultural products.
Coccus viridis
green scale, green coffee scale, coffee green scale
Coccus viridis is a soft scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccidae) and major agricultural pest with a wide tropical and subtropical distribution. It reproduces parthenogenetically via thelytoky, with females producing 50-600 eggs that hatch within minutes to hours beneath the mother's body. The species completes its life cycle in 47-51 days at 25°C, with three nymphal instars before adulthood; first-instar nymphs actively disperse as 'crawlers' while older instars and adults become sessile. It is polyphagous, feeding on phloem sap of over 200 plant genera in 72 families, with primary economic damage to coffee, guava, and cacao crops.
Cryphalini
pygmy borers
Cryphalini is a tribe of minute bark beetles (Scolytinae) comprising extremely small species, many under 2 mm in length. The tribe has undergone major taxonomic revision, with former members now distributed across three tribes based on molecular and morphological evidence. Members of this group are among the most abundant bark beetles globally and include significant agricultural pests.
Hypothenemus
Hypothenemus is a genus of bark beetles in the family Curculionidae containing more than 200 described species. The genus is most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with reduced representation in temperate areas of eastern North America and eastern Asia. Members are minute beetles, ranging from 0.6 mm to 2.2 mm in length, with males consistently smaller than females. The genus includes several economically significant species, most notably H. hampei (coffee berry borer), which is considered the most destructive insect pest of coffee globally.
Hypothenemus obscurus
apple twig beetle, tropical nut borer
Hypothenemus obscurus is a small scolytine bark beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is known by two common names: "apple twig beetle" in North America and "tropical nut borer" in tropical regions. The species attacks several crops including macadamia nut and coffee, and has been documented developing on artificial diets of both macadamia and coffee. Its life cycle from egg to adult has been estimated at approximately 28.5 days under laboratory conditions. The species is native to tropical regions and has been introduced to North America.
Leucoptera
leaf miners, white-winged moths
Leucoptera is a genus of small moths in the family Lyonetiidae, commonly known as leaf miners. The genus includes several economically important agricultural pests, most notably Leucoptera coffeella (the coffee leaf miner) and Leucoptera malifoliella (the apple leaf miner). Larvae feed internally within leaf tissue, creating distinctive serpentine or blotch mines that reduce photosynthetic capacity and can cause significant crop losses. The genus has a global distribution with species associated with diverse host plants including coffee, apple, and other crops.
Mirax
miracine wasps
Mirax is a genus of tiny parasitoid wasps in the subfamily Miracinae (Braconidae). Species are typically 1–2 mm in length and are koinobiont endoparasitoids of leaf-mining caterpillars. The genus has been documented in Australia, Puerto Rico, and other regions, with several species described through citizen science initiatives. Some species, such as Mirax insularis, have been studied for their potential as biological control agents of agricultural pests.
Quesada gigas
Giant cicada, chichara grande, coyoyo, coyuyo, coffee cicada
Quesada gigas is a large cicada species native to North, Central, and South America, with the widest geographic range of any cicada in the Western Hemisphere. It is a significant agricultural pest, particularly of coffee (Coffea) in Brazil and paricá (Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum) in the Amazon region, where nymphal feeding on roots can cause substantial yield losses or tree mortality. The species exhibits low selectivity in oviposition site choice, with females documented laying eggs in dry branches of non-host plants such as Conyza spp. weeds, which cannot support complete nymphal development due to their annual life cycle.
Rhabdopterus
Rhabdopterus is a genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Eumolpinae, containing approximately 70 described species distributed across North and South America. Eight species occur north of Mexico, though Nearctic species may not be congeneric with the South American type species. The genus belongs to the family Chrysomelidae, a large group of herbivorous beetles commonly known as leaf beetles. Some species, such as Rhabdopterus jansoni, are significant herbivores in agricultural systems, particularly coffee plantations.
Saissetia coffeae
hemispherical scale, helmet scale, coffee brown scale
Saissetia coffeae is a polyphagous soft scale insect (Coccidae) with a cosmopolitan tropical and subtropical distribution. Adults are sessile, hemispherical, and helmet-shaped, ranging 2–4.5 mm in diameter depending on host plant. The species reproduces parthenogenetically; all individuals are female. It is a significant agricultural pest of coffee, citrus, avocado, fig, guava, and numerous ornamental plants, causing damage through phloem sap feeding and honeydew secretion that promotes sooty mold growth. Multiple parasitoid wasps and predatory insects are associated with natural population regulation.
Xylosandrus compactus
black twig borer, black coffee borer, black coffee twig borer, tea stem borer
Xylosandrus compactus is a highly invasive ambrosia beetle (Scolytinae) native to subtropical Asia. Females tunnel into twigs of living woody plants, cultivate symbiotic fungi as larval food, and reproduce through arrhenotokous parthenogenesis. The species has spread to over 50 countries, becoming a significant agricultural pest of coffee, tea, cocoa, and avocado, and threatening native forest ecosystems in invaded regions.