Pest of Rubber

Termites• form colonies at the base of the trunk. • Some species prefer living trees while others feed on

dead tissues.• Newly-budded plants are very susceptible to termite

attack• Affected young trees show deficiency symptoms. • In large trees, the trunk may be honeycombed with

disintegrating tissues, without any visible signs of injury, that may easily fall when strong winds blow.

• Termites are hard to control when the colonies are fully developed.

• Macrotermes sp. Coptotermes curvignathus

Control Measure

• Practice good sanitation in plantation• Destroy early colonies of termites• Regularly inspect termite tunnels and destroy

them

Leucopholis irrorata

• Root-feeding larvae• Eggs are laid singly or in clusters in the soil. • The larvae lives entirely in the soil. • They are voracious feeders and may consume the

roots of rubber (seedlings stage) and cover crops. • Affected young trees have yellow leaves and dying

shoots, and in severe cases, the trees may die.• Control: Use polybags in raising rubber seedlings to

prevent larvae attack, biocontrol