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In India, the handicraft industry is considered the second largest industry next to agriculture. Apart from lack of supply of conventional wood raw material, insect pest problems are an added threat to these wooden handicraft industries. Many of the wooden handicraft products are inferior in quality due to use of untreated raw material, which is susceptible to powderpost beetle damage. Infestation by these powderpost beetles usually starts in the raw material and may continue in the finished product or after being passed on to the consumer. Effective management measures are a prerequisite for this industry to deliver quality wooden handicraft products. This paper deals with the powderpost beetle menace experienced by the wooden handicraft industries in Karnataka, India. The remedial measures for the effective management of powderpost beetles are also suggested.

A study was conducted to investigate the population dynamics of four important coccids viz., Aonidiella orientalis (Newstead), Ceroplastes actiniformis Green, Cardiococcus bivalvata (Green) and Parasaissetia nigra (Nietner) infesting sandal in Bangalore, India. Meteorological data viz., monthly mean maximum and minimum temperatures, morning and evening relative humidity and total rainfall were also collected during the experimental period for statistical analysis to ascertain their influence on the population of coccids. The results show that all the four coccids are infesting sandal throughout the year. Maximum temperature exhibited significantly negative correlation with the population dynamics of A. orientalis, while other weather parameters did not show much influence on its incidence. In case of C. bivalvata, minimum temperature and morning relative humidity exhibited significant positive correlation with its population dynamics while other weather parameters had less significant effect on its population dynamics. For C. actiniformis and P. nigra, none of the weather factors seem to have influence on their incidences.