Laboratory Studies of Insecticides against the Coffee Leaf-Miner Leuooptera Meyrioki Ghesq. (Lepidoptera, Lyonetiidae).

Abstract

The coffee leaf-miners Leucoptera meyricki Ghesq. and L. caffeina Wshbn. are serious pests of arabica coffee in Kenya. At the present time sprays containing parathion, methyl-parathion or diazinon are used extensively for their control. To facilitate preliminary investigations into various aspects of insecticidal control of the larval stages of these pests, a laboratory bioassay technique was developed. Larvae ware reared on detached coffee leaves placed on moist filter paper in plastic boxes. When the larvae were in their third instar, the leaves were sprayed in a Potter tower and then kept in a moist air stream for three days before the mines were dissected to enable mortality counts to be made.