Thrips

Thrips (most common Flankliniella occidentalis, on capsicum Scirthothrips dorsalis) hysanoptera.
Adults are 1 – 2 mm, yellowish to brown in color and live up to 30 days. The whole lifecycle is about 20 days or less. Affected capsicum leaves curl upwards, fruit set is also affected. The pupa of the capsicum thrips develops in litter (rubbish) or stays on the plant.

Leaf Miners (Lyriomyza sativa) Diptera

The head, legs and sides of the body of the insect are yellow in colour. This varies per species. The size of the insect is about 2mm (with wings). Eggs are laid inside the leaf, top or underside of the leaf. Larvae develop at temperatures under 30⁰C (higher temperatures gives high mortality), grow out to 3mm and tunnel in the plant under the skin of leaves, stems and fruits. Pupae drop on the soil for development and change from clear yellowish/whitish to brown and are up to 2mm in size. Life cycle is upto 3 weeks.

Mites Broad Mites (Polyphatogarsonemus) Arachnidae

These mites damage the outer cells of the leaf as they feed on the plant sap. The leaves become distorted, bronze coloured, stiff, and roll downwards. Dieback is a common result of mites infesting chilies, capsicum and tomato.
Single eggs are laid on young parts of the plant, larvae develop into nymph.
Population increases with higher temperature and humidity.

(Tomato) Hornworm (Manduca spp.) Lepidoptera

The adult night moth has a wingspan of more than 10cm and has 4 or 5 orange/yellow spots on either side of the back. Single eggs are laid, 1mm diameter and yellow/green in color. Larvae may grow out to 10cm.
In the last segment, they have a spine or horn protruding. The pupa is in leaf litter or in the soil and is 4 to 6 cm. Life cycle is 30 – 35 days at temperatures of about 25⁰C.

Pepper Weevil (Anthonomuseugenii) Coloptera

Lifecycle is 20-30 days. The female creates a cavity in a plant part and lays eggs of size 0.5mm in it and covers it with secretions. Eggs are frequently just under the bud or pod.
Larvae penetrate directly into the flower bud or young fruit, depending on stage 2 to 5 mm. Pupa is made by excretes and develops within the bud. The adult is blackish, oval shaped 3 x 2mm and has a long sturdy beak.
Other, smaller species may bore into stems instead of buds.

White Fly

White fly (Most common Bemisiatabaci, much less Trialeurodus and Aleurotrachelus) Hemiptera.
These are 1.5 - 2 mm white winged insects with yellowish body, feeding on the underside of the leaves. The damaging species in Solonacaea is the one that has the wings together without gap between the wings. They fly up quickly when disturbed. After eggs hatch several nymph stages follow, the last stage has long tentacles. Insect transmit virus.

Grass Hopper (Atractomorpha) Orthoptera

They have a lifecycle of upto five months with 5 stages of larvae. Adults gnaw all plant parts, the larvae may eat roots.

Flea Beetles (Alticini, Monolepta, others) Coleoptera

Very small white eggs are laid on or in soil cracks around the base of plants. These hatch in about one week The small white larvae that emerge feed on plant roots for approximately 2-3 weeks. Pupae usually remain in the soil for 7-9 days and then the shiny black adults emerge. Adult beetles (2-3mm) chew small holes in leaves, giving them a sieve-like appearance. They are mainly a pest in young plants.

Pepper Maggot (Delia Platura)

The insect has a lifecycle of 4 weeks. Eggs are laid in groups in soil or organic matter. The larvae are dirty white to yellow in color and 5 to 6 mm in size. The pupa develops in the soil, near the roots and is dark brown to black, 4-5mm big. The adult resembles a normal housefly and is about 5-6mm. It feeds on seeds and young plantlets.
Larvae or eggs can travel unseen in harvested fruits and do damage in and after stage of post harvest.