A husband and wife team at the Philippine Coconut Authority’s Davao Research Center in Davao City has discovered an indigenous wasp that could help control the spread of the destructive coconut leaf beetle called Brontispa longissima. This is an introduced pest that has wreaked havoc on coconut trees in 255 towns in 44 provinces throughout the country. No less than 1.5 million coconut trees have been affected by the pest as of February 2009.

The two researchers are Ma. Cynthia Gallego and husband Vivencio. Cynthia is the division chief of the Crop Protection Division of the PCA’s research center in Davao City where Vivencio also works as Scientist 1.

The indigenous wasp (still unidentified) has been observed to feed on the pupae of the Brontispa beetle, thus preventing their hatching into adults. The wasp (they call it parasitoid) is now being multiplied and disseminated to coconut producing provinces.

Ven related that they had observed the wasp to be feeding on some of the pupae of the Brontispa beetle in the field so they brought some to the laboratory for observation as well as for experimentation. They observed that the unidentified wasp can be effective in preventing the proliferation of the Brontispa beetle.

What’s good about this new parasitoid is that it is easy to multiply. Multiplication could be undertaken by the farmers themselves in the different parts of the country. Multiplication is fast because in a life cycle of 20 days, one female parasitoid can produce 150 to 250 eggs. Each of these eggs will hatch and will each produce again 150 to 250 eggs.

The procedure is simple enough. The main materials needed are wide-mouth bottles that have to be covered with recycled lady’s stockings so the insects can breathe inside but will not be able to get out unless released.

One has to collect pupae from infested unopened coconut leaves. Put 20 pupae inside the bottle and 10 to 15 parasitoids. The parasitoids will feed on the pupae and lay their eggs there. In seven to 15 days, the eggs will hatch and would be ready for release in the target coconut plantations.

The wasps will then parasitize the Brontispa pupae, lay their eggs there which will eventually hatch and will further parasitize many more Brontispa pupae in the coconut plantations.