Berry Borer — Coffee Berry Borer Information Hub

Berry Borer is an educational resource dedicated to the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei), the most destructive pest in global coffee production. The site covers biology, detection methods, integrated pest management strategies, and the latest research on controlling this beetle that causes over $500 million in annual losses worldwide.

The coffee berry borer, native to Central Africa, has spread to virtually every coffee-producing region since the early 20th century. First detected in the Americas in 1988, it reached Mexico, Colombia, and Central America within a decade. The beetle bores into coffee cherries to lay eggs, with larvae feeding on the seeds and causing quality degradation and yield losses of 30-80% in untreated fields. Research institutions worldwide have developed biological controls, trapping methods, and cultural practices that form the basis of modern integrated pest management.