The distribution of cocoa pod borer and mirids species overlap, therefore they can have an impact on one other and how the other is controlled.

 

An interesting paper noticed that control of a one pest, mirids, may have a great impact on another pest, cocoa pod borer. The study found that female cocoa pod borer often choose not to lay her eggs on cocoa pods that have damage from mirids. Mirids can cause great damage to the overall cocoa tree however the cocoa pod borer damage directly impacts the cocoa beans. Therefore controlling for mirids can lead to more damage by cocoa pod borer.   

 

It is interesting to note that the main predator both mirids and the cocoa pod borer are the ant species, Oecophylla smaragdina and Dolichoderus thoracicus. In addition, several of the same entomopathogenic fungi have been explored as a control method for both pests. By having control methods that overlap, this may make it easier to get control for both pests. This may reduce cost and provide additional resource for the natural enemy (disease or predator) in the field.

 

Minor Pest Reduced Yield Looses by a Majar Cocoa Pest