Insect defoliators have long been recognized as important pests in forestry. In West Africa, the main species of insect defoliators belong to three orders; butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), grasshoppers (Qrthoptera), and leaf beetles (Coleoptera). Whereas both the immature and adult stages of Orthoptera and Coleoptera cause feeding damage, only the larvae (caterpillars) of Lepidoptera are leaf feeders. It is estimated that more than 60% of important insect defoliators in Ghana are caterpillars.
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© 2008 Springer Science + Business Media B.V
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(2008). Defoliating Insects. In: Forest Entomology in West Tropical Africa: Forests Insects of Ghana. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6508-8_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6508-8_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-6506-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-6508-8
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