Cocoa pod borer
Alert
Be on the lookout for cocoa pod borer and report any sightings immediately.
Reporting options
- Report online.
- Phone Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.
- Phone the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
Cocoa pod borer larvae
© Queensland Government
Cocoa pod borer larvae
© Andi Nasta'in Hikmatullah (iNaturalist), some rights reserved .
Adult cocoa pod borer
© Queensland Government
Damage (holes and discolouration) to a cocoa pod caused by a cocoa pod borer
© CAB International (taken by Barbara Ritchie)
Damage to a cocoa pod caused by a cocoa pod borer
© Queensland Government
The cocoa pod borer (Conopomorpha cramerella) can cause significant yield loss in cocoa and rambutan.
The pest was found on a cocoa plantation in Far North Queensland in 2011 and was declared eradicated in 2014. It is no longer present in Queensland.
Scientific name
Other names
- Cacao moth
- Cocoa moth
- Javanese cocoa moth
- Rambutan borer
- Ram-ram borer
Description
Adults
- Adults are mosquito-sized moths, about 5–7mm long.
- Moths are brown with bright yellow patches at the tips of the forewings and long antennae that are swept backwards when at rest.
- Moths are active during the early evening and night. They rest on the underside of branches and leaves during the day.
Larvae
- Larvae (caterpillars) are translucent to creamy white or greenish.
- They are 1–10mm long, depending on their age.
Pupae
- Larvae spin oval-shaped cocoons (where they pupate) in cocoa pod crevices, or among green dried leaves or other debris on the ground.
Eggs
- Eggs are tiny, barely visible to the naked eye, and coloured yellow to orange.
Plant stage and plant parts affected
- Young, green cocoa pods are particularly susceptible to attack.
Plant damage and symptoms
Cocoa
- Larvae feed inside cocoa pods on the material that surrounds the individual cocoa seeds.
- The larval feeding causes the seeds to stick together, which produces undersized seeds and poor-quality cocoa beans.
- The fruit pulp becomes hard and the normal fermentation process used to produce the cocoa flavour can be adversely affected.
- Other symptoms of damage include entry and exit holes on the pod husk created by tunnelling larvae, and overall premature or uneven ripening of pods.
Rambutan
- The larvae tunnel into leaves, stems and occasionally the fruit, making it unmarketable.
Distribution
Known to occur in Brunei, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand.
Hosts
The main commercial hosts are cocoa (Theobroma cacao) and rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum).
Other reported hosts include:
- kola nut (Cola species)
- nam nam (Cynometra cauliflora)
- wrinkle pod mangrove (Cynometra iripa)
- langsat (Lansium domesticum)
- pulusan (Nephelium mutabile)
- Fiji longan
- Pacific lychee
- taun
- tava
- kasai (Pometia pinnata)
- wild rambutan (Xerospermum species).
Life cycle
- Adult female moths generally lay eggs on the surfaces of cocoa pods that are 2–6 weeks from the first signs of yellowing, or on other host fruit.
- Larvae hatch from the eggs after about 3 days (slightly longer in cooler temperatures). They tunnel through the pod husk into the pulp around the beans, then into the placenta that holds the beans together.
- Larvae moult as they grow and progress through 4–6 larval stages (instars).
- Larvae exit the pod through holes made in the husk wall after about 2–3 weeks.
- Larvae spin cocoons and pupate (change into adult moths) either in crevices on the fruit surface or on the ground among dried leaves, weeds or other ground litter.
- Adults emerge from the cocoons about 1 week later.
- Adults are poor flyers and are most active at night, when they mate and lay eggs.
- Adults are short-lived. While they can survive up to 30 days, their average life span is 7 days.
Impacts
Cocoa production is a boutique industry in Far North Queensland. Australian rambutan production (for 2020) was estimated to be around 172.7 tonnes with a gross annual value of $2.56 million, and 65% of this was grown in Far North Queensland (Plant Health Australia 2020). Both industries have the potential to expand.
Cocoa pod borer damages cocoa and rambutan fruit, causing significant yield loss. In cocoa, fruit damage makes the processing of cocoa pods difficult and reduces cocoa bean quality. In rambutan, the pest tunnels into leaves, stems and occasionally fruit, making it unmarketable. Growers could experience increased pest control costs and reduced market access for rambutans.
Backyard growers can also suffer cocoa and rambutan fruit loss due to cocoa pod borer.
How it is spread
Cocoa pod borer can be spread (and possibly introduced into Australia) by people moving:
- infested cocoa pods
- other infested host fruit
- plant material infested with eggs, pupae or moths.
The Australian Government closely regulates approved imports of plant material and monitors for illegal plant movement to prevent the introduction of exotic plant pests such as cocoa pod borer.
The adult moths are poor flyers, so natural dispersal from infested areas is believed to be slow.
Monitoring and action
Monitor cocoa pods for uneven ripening and for tiny borer holes (though these are very small and hard to see). Cut open any suspect pods and check for the presence of borer larvae and/or internal damage. Also check cocoa pods for internal damage and larvae during pod splitting and processing. Check fallen rambutan fruit for tiny borer holes. If there are any, cut open the fruit to look for larvae.
If you suspect the presence of cocoa pod borer, report it immediately using one of these methods:
- Report online.
- Phone Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.
- Phone the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
Prevention
Use these resources to help protect your farm from plant pests and diseases:
Legal requirements
Cocoa pod borer is an exotic pest and its presence can lead to a biosecurity risk.
Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, everyone in Queensland has a general biosecurity obligation to report biosecurity risks and take action to prevent or minimise them.