It occurs in coastal areas and high ranges in Kerala (Trivandrum, Wynad, Kasaragod).

Symptoms of Damage:

• The adults and nymphs feed by desapping the contents on button and developing nuts below the perianth region.
• The attacked buttons become deformed with characteristic crevices on the husk below the perianth with gum exudations and the tender nuts become barren.
• Severe damage leads to nut fall and malformation of mature nuts.

Identification of the Pest:

• The adults are brown colored measuring 2 cm in size. The life cycle is completed in a month's time.

Management:

Chemical Method:

• Collect and destroy the immature stages of the insects by conducting study (or neem campaign) wherever possible and spray carbaryl 50 WP 2 gm/lit.
• Apply 0.1% carbaryl suspension on the newly opened inflorescence after the receptive phase of the female flowers and spray the entire crown excluding the leaves and older bunches (at 45 days interval). Destruction of pollinating insects can be avoided if spraying is done in afternoon hours.
• Spray dichlorvos 76 WSC 2 ml / lit.

• Set up light traps to trap and collect adult moths.