Biology and occurrence of mango twig borer (Niphonoclea capito Pascoe, Cerambycidae, Coleoptera)

Mango is an important fruit crop of the Philippines since it is being exported to different countries such as Hongkong, China, Japan and Singapore. It is being produced in various provinces in the country such as Cebu, Guimaras, Pangasinan, Zambales and others. Admittedly, many constraints hinder the full development of the mango industry. One such problem is pest infestation. The mango twig borer (MTB) Niphonoclea capito Pascoe has been reported by mango growers to be contributing the low productivity of mango in Central Luzon and the Ilocos Region. Newly laid eggs of N. capito were cucumber-shaped (subcylindrical) and white to off white in color; diameter ranged from 1.00 mm to 1.60 mm with an average of 1.33 mm; length ranged from 3.30 mm to 4.00 mm with an average of 3.70 mm. Incubation period ranged from four to eight days with an average of 6.68 days. A day old pupa appeared cream to very light brown in color and turned to dark brown as emergence approached. The pupal stage ranged from ten to seventeen days with an average of 13.50 days. Average length of the pupa was 1.87 cm and diameter was 0.51 cm. Total development period of N. capito ranged from 158 to 208 days with an average of 176.7 days (based from 3 individuals). Life span of the female adult was 21.03 while the male lasted for 17.48 days. Length of female was 1.56 cm while the male 1.44 cm. The average width of the female was 47 cm and 0.43 cm. The adults are black except for the front of the head, prothorax (except the dorsoanterior portion) anterior margin and distal one third of elytra and ventral sides of the body which are light brown in color. The dorsal side of elytra between the light brown anterior margin and distal one third has minute white spots. The third antennal segment except the apex is white. Of the 13 mango growing provinces surveyed in Luzon (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya, Isabela, Batangas and Laguna), only Isabela was free from twig borer infestation. The highest infestation of 100 percent was recorded in Pangasinan and the lowest of which is 20 percent recorded in Laguna