Coffee Berry Borer

Natural history and identification

The coffee berry borer is a tiny beetle whose reproductive cycle takes place inside coffee berries. Females bore into the fruit and their offspring feed in the seed, directly damaging the harvested coffee bean. An entrance hole can indicate infestation, but the insect should be identified because other small beetles may occur around coffee. Crop losses and infestation levels require orchard-specific monitoring.

Kauaʻi occurrence and evidence

Atlas occurrence category: Present — localized detections. The Kauaʻi record is classified as “Present — localized detections”. Its cited evidence source is Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee. Confirmed on Kauaʻi in September 2020, with subsequent detections in the Kalāheo and Lāwaʻi area.

Account coverage

Published species details have been added. A complete Kauaʻi-specific account of identification, habitat, feeding, reproduction, and population trend is not yet established by the sources linked here.

Names and classification

Scientific name

Hypothenemus hampei

Common names

Coffee Berry Borer

Family

Curculionidae

Order

Coleoptera

Record type

species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Present — localized detections

Origin

Introduced — invasive

Conservation status

Agricultural pest

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal description

Coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) is an invasive beetle confirmed on Kauaʻi. Females bore into coffee cherries, where larvae feed on the beans and reduce crop quality and yield.

Sources and further reading

• Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee
• Natural history and identification — species source