Cocoa pod borer is a member of the Lepidoptera order (the order of butterflies and moth). They undergo a complete metamorphosis life cycle comprised on egg, larvae, pupa, and adult stages.  The total life cycle from egg to adult can be complete in as little as 1 month. 

 

The flattened oval eggs of cocoa pod borer are yellow/orange in color, very small (0.5 x .02 mm) and are covered in small rectangular indentations. The adult lays them anywhere on a pod or host plant, favoring furrows. The cocoa pods are usually 2-6 weeks from maturating. The eggs will hatch in six to nine days after being laid.

 

The larvae are translucent white and 1 mm long when they first hatch from the eggs. They leave the egg by burrow through the egg floor into the pod.  Once inside the pod, they feed with no pattern throughout. If the pod is young larvae can cause damage to the developing beans. The later instars are 10 mm long and a creamy color. There are 4-6 larval instars and it takes 14-18 to complete entire larval stage.

 

When the larvae are ready to pupae emerge from the pod and are a green color. They often pupate on the fruit surface (especially in furrows of cocoa pods) or under dried leaves/dries on the ground. They move to their pupation location by use of a silk thread or crawling. Pupation occurs in an encased light-brown waterproof silken membrane.

 

Adults emerge from the pupa case in 6-8 days. They are small brown moth with a 12 mm wing spans and 7 mm body length. There are bright yellow patches at the forewing tips. The distance they can flight is unknown that the moment, but their flight tis slow. They do have long antenna which are held back over their body in a natural resting position. A female can lay between 50 to 100 eggs her lifespan (which range from a week to four weeks). Adults are most active at night, during which they mate and lay eggs.

[24-26 Photo 30, 32]