About Batocera rufomaculata (Degeer, 1775)
Batocera rufomaculata, commonly called the mango stem borer (abbreviated MSB), is a species of long-horned beetle belonging to the family Cerambycidae. This species was first formally described by Charles De Geer in 1775. It is originally native to China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, and has since been introduced to many other countries across the world, including Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Syria, and the Virgin Islands. The larvae of this beetle bore into the trunks of Ficus carica, Carica papaya, Mangifera indica, Shorea robusta, and a range of other plant species. In cultivated fruit tree systems, particularly mango cultivation, infestations can lead to reduced crop yields and the death of affected trees. Batocera rufomaculata can be infected by the parasitic wasp Avetianella batocerae.
