Rats ( Rattus rattus ) and squirrels ( Funambulus trisriatus and F. palmarum ) are the major rodent pests of cocoa. They cause serious damage to the pods. The rats usually gnaw the pods near the stalk portion whereas squirrels gnaw the pods in the center

Damage was done by female beetle which girdles the branches and inserts whitish spindle shaped eggs singly into the tissue in a slanting manner. Due to mechanical injury caused by girdling and oviposition, the branches above the girdle wither and dry. Damage b

Hairy caterpillars : ( Lymantriya sp ., Euproctis sp ., Dasychira sp. ,)

They colonize on the underside of tender leaves, succulent stem, flower buds and small cherelles. Heavy infestation may occur during hot summer and after rainy season which brings about premature shedding of flowers and curling of leaves.

Nymphs and adults suck the sap from flowers, tender shoots and pods. They excrete honey dew resulting in the development of sooty mould fungus on the leaves and pods.

Infested pods develop circular water soaked spots around the feeding punctures. These punctures subsequently turn pitch black in color. Deformation of pods occurs because of multiple feeding injuries. Management When the infestation is lesser: Spraying of Neem

It colonizes on the tender parts of the plant such as growing tips of the shoots, the terminal buds, the flower cushions, the young cherelles and mature pods. Feeding of mealy bugs induces cherelle wilt. Following control measures are recommended. Planococcus