Coconut Leafroller
Hedylepta blackburni (Butler)
By: Jayma L. Martin Kessing, Educational Specialist, Ronald F.L. Mau, Extension Entomologist, Department of Entomology,Honolulu, Hawaii
HOSTS
This caterpillar is believed to have originated on either native bananas or endemic palms belonging to the Pritchardia genus (Swezey, 1952, 1954), and later went to coconut as an alternate host after its introduction. Today this pest attacks coconut, Pritchardia, introduced palms and all varieties of banana.
DISTRIBUTION
This moth was first reported by Dr. Wm. Hillebrand at Lahaina, Maui in the 1860s (Swezey, 1952) and later described by Butler in 1877. There is extensive literature on pests of coconut throughout the Pacific basin, but the coconut leafroller is only found in Hawaii and for this reason is thought to be endemic to Hawaii (Swezey, 1954). It is present on all major Hawaiian islands.
DAMAGE
Young larvae feed on the underside of the leaves beneath a protective thin web of silk, and leave the opposite epidermis of the leaf in tact (Zimmerman, 1958). The larvae scatter on the leaf and form a protective environment by fastening the lower edges of the leaves together with ropes of white silk. As the larvae get older they feed on the epidermis of both leaf surfaces (Zimmerman, 1958). By the time they are ready to pupate the leaves are reduced to threads (Swezey, 1954). This pest is more prevalent in windswept areas (Bess, 1974). We suspect that this is due to wind interference in the activity of parasitoids.
BIOLOGY
The descriptions of the eggs, larvae and pupae are taken from an account by Swezey (1907) that appears in Zimmerman (1958).
