Diarthrothrips coffeae (coffee thrips).
Abstract The eggs are reniform and inserted into a slit cut in the leaf. They are small but visible to the naked eye. There are two nymphal stages on the tree, the full grown nymph being about 1.1 mm long and pale yellow. The prepupal and pupal stages are passed in the leaf litter beneath the tree. The prepupa is also pale yellow and about 1 mm long. Although small numbers can be found at any time of year, large build up of population tends to be found at the end of the dry season in February and March. Notley (1936) found a close correlation between temperature and population increase, slight infestations occuring when the mean monthly temperature exceeded 18.3°C for 4 months and a severe infestation after 6 months. He could find no correlation with temperature or with relative humidity. The infestation ended after a marked drop in temperature. Shading of coffee and mulching have beneficial effects. The insect more typically infests coffee at lower altitudes. Since the general use of grass mulch around the coffee, serious attacks have become rare (Crowe, 2004).