Marula beetle
Namibian crop pests  #  55
Unknown Order: Coleoptera Family: Chrysomelidae
Note November 2005: This is probably a Polyclada species. New sampling and investigations may begin in 2006.

Note: the larvae and adult beetle shown on this page were not found together. It seems most likely that they are the same species, however, and they are here shown as stages of the same species. A control check during 2001 at Ondobe showed that the larvae turned up on the same tree after the massive presence of the beetle. 

Adult beetle, Ondobe ARDC, Jan 2001

Adult beetle

Adult beetle

small larvae, Ondobe clinic, 1998

cluster of small larvae

Clustering larvae

Single larva

 

Common names: 

 No local names were recorded

Pest status:

 The pest status is uncertain, as some farmers from Okalongo report that they eat the larvae of this species. There are also reports from other countries that this or a similar species is used for producing arrow poison! The larvae do defoliate the lower leaves of marula because they are found in large clusters, but the attack happens after the fruits are formed and there may therefore be no visible economical damage.

Description:

 The beetle is 12 mm long, dull grey with small black dots. The antennae are unusually long for such a small species, 10 mm. The beetle can fly and one specimen was found resting on sweet potato leaves under the marula tree.

The larvae live on leaves of marula. The young stages are yellow-brown and hairy with black heads. Older stages turn grey with black lines or series of black dots across the body. The head is black. There are no hairs on older larvae. Somehow the larvae always look oily or greasy. They like to cluster as shown on the photos above.

Control:

 None at present

Other notes:

 The adult beetle was only found on Marula trees at Ondobe ARDC, Ohangwena region on 13 January 2001. A large number could be collected and photographed in a short time.

The larvae were found in large numbers on marula trees at Ondobe clinic, 1998 and 10 km southwest at Okalongo, Omusati region, 1998.

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