- Narrow distribution. South Asia, Oceania. On bele, cocoa, coffee, ginger, yams and many other crops and weeds. An important pest.
- Eggs 7-10 cm deep in soil, hatching to C-shaped grubs with orange heads, feeding on roots; adults, dark brown, 12.5 mm long, with grey-white scales.
- Adults make holes in young to middle-aged leaves at night, often leaving the veins.
- Cultural control: barriers (coconut fronds, bamboo) around cocoa seedlings; plant cocoa under shade (30-40%); light traps; do not plant near fences of Hibiscus tiliaceous, a preferred host.
- Chemical control: use synthetic pyrethroids.
Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Rose beetle (107)
Rose beetle
Adoretus versutus
AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Waterhouse DF, Norris KR (1987) Adoretus versutus Harold. Biological Control Pacific Prospects. Inkata Press. Melbourne. Photo 1&2 Gerald McCormack, Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage (http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org/). Photo 3&4 Walker K (2007) Adoretus versutus. PaDIL - (http://www.padil.gov.au). Photo 5 Richard Markham, ACIAR, Canberra.
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.