Insect Pests of Brinjal

•Solanaceous crops :
Pests of Brinjal
•Shoot & fruit borer
•Epilachna beetle
•LeafHoppers
•Whiteflies
•Mites
•Grey weevil
 Shoot and fruit borer, Leucinodes orbonalis
(Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera)

• Most serious & regular pest on brinjal

• Causes more than 50 % damage

Appearance:

• A: small, whitish wings with brown and black

spots
• L: Pinkish with warts and hairs.
Brinjal shoot and fruit borer, Lucinodes orbonalis
A. BRINJAL
1. Shoot and fruit borer: Leucinodes orbonalis Guen.
(Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera)

• Medium sized moth

with milky white
wings having a few
brown and red
patches. It measures
about 3/4 of an inch
in wing expansion. Adult
• The larva bores into
tender shoots
resulting in dropping
and drying of the tip.
• It also bores into
flower buds and
developing fruits.
• The affected fruits
become unfit for
marketing.
• The full-grown caterpillar is light pinkish in colour with warts and hairs.
• It pupates in the tough cocoon in the affected plant.

caterpillar

Bore hole pupates in the tough cocoon

 Shoot and fruit borer: Leucinodes orbonalis,
Distribution Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Thailand, Malaysia, India, Myanmar, Srilanka,
East and South Africa, Pakistan and Germany
Host range
Potato, Brinjal, Bitter gourd, Green pods of peas,
Solanum xanthocarpum, S.nigrum and S. indicum
*Larval hibernation
Egg period 3-5 days
250 Creamy white eggs/ female Five instars
Biology Eggs laid singly or in batches - leaves, tender
shoots,flower buds, calyces of fruits, green stem and
developing fruits
Adult:
Larval: 9- 28 days
White coloured moth Young larva- creamy white
with brownish and red Full grown larva- pink colour
markings - forewings with sparsely distributed hairs
Pupal: 7-11 days on the body and brownish head
Longevity: 2-5 days Pupation: in a tough greyish
TLC: 17-50 days boat shaped cocoon
 Integrated Management of
shoot and fruit borer
• .Cultural
• .Mechanical
• .Physical
• .Biological
• .Chemical
 Management
Remove and destroy the affected tender shoots,
fallen fruits and fruits with bore holes
Avoid continuous cropping of brinjal crop
Resistant varieties: Annamalai and pusa purple round
Grow the varieties with long and narrow fruits in endemic areas
Bacillus thuriengiensis var kurstaki @ 1500 ml/ ha (750 lit of spray fluid)
Encourage the activity of larval parasitoids:
Pristomerus testaceus
Cremastus flavoorbitalis
Shirakia schoenobii
Bracon greeni
Egg parasitoid:
Trichogramma chilonis @ 50,000/ ha, four times from 30 DAT at 20 days
interval
Management:
• Seedling root dip with imidacloprid 17.8 SL
@ 0.2 ml/l + Carbendazim 1 g/l for 10 min
• Neem cake or neem kernal powder @ 1.0 q/ac
– 2 splits (15 & 45 DAT)
• Set up of pheromone traps ( water traps) @
12-16 traps/ac within 15 days of planting.
• Ovicidal : methomyl 40 SP @ 1.0 g/lit or
thhiodicarb 70 WP @ 1 g/l
OR
T. chilonis (at 30 DAT, 40, 50, 60, 70 DAR) (3
lakh / ha) -- 42% reduction in shoot damage
• Collection and destruction of affected fruits
• Spray Bacillus thuringensis (Bt) (Dipel) @
ml/l - carbaryl @ 2 g/l - Spinosad @ 0.2 ml/l
- Indaxacarb @ ml/l - Rynaxypyr 15 SC @
0.075 ml/l
 Contd.,
Insecticides:
Endosulfan 35 EC @ 1500 ml + neem oil 1500ml
/ha or Quinalphos 25 EC @ 1500ml + neem oil
1500ml /ha or Neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) 5 %

Avoid using synthetic pyrethroids

Avoid using insecticides at the time of fruit maturation

stage and harvest
LEEF FEEDERS
Hadda beetle or spotted beetle:
Henosepilachna (= Epilachna) vigintioctopunctata
E. implicata, E. Dodecastigma
Coccinellidae: Coleoptera

Distribution
All over India

Host range
Brinjal, Tomato and Potato
* Adult hibernates in cracks and
Biology of E.vigintioctopunctata crevices in the soil
Egg period: 2-4 days
Cigar shaped yellow coloured eggs,
10 – 20 eggs in groups – undersurface of the leaves
Adult:
Red in colour Grub: 10-13 days
7-14 black spots on
each elytron Yellowish, stout with spines all
over the body
TLC: 20-50 days Pupal: 3 –5 days
Dark coloured pupae
Spotted leaf beetle (Hadda beetle)
Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata

• Regular pest on brinjal

• Also attacks potato,
Ashwagandha etc.
2. Lady bird beetle: Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.)
(Coccinellidae : Hemiptera)
--Refer under potato--
Adult

Larva Pupa Eggs

Damage symptoms
Appearance:
A: Small, oval, brown and
mottled with black spots of
varying numbers.
G: Yellow with spines on the
body
P: Yellow and found on the
leaves
Biology:
• E: Yellowish spindle shaped group of 6 -10
• IP- 6-8 days; LP- 20-50 days; PP- 10-15 days
Nature of damage:
• A & G : damage to leaves
• Feed by scraping the chlorophyll from epidermal
layer of leaves in characteristic manner
Damage symptoms:
• Skeletonization & drying up of leaves
• Both grubs and adults eat the chlorophyll of
the leaf in between the veins and cause
characteristic skeletonized patches on the
leaves, which ultimately dry.
Management:
• Spray Quinolphos @ 2.0 ml/l
 Management

Collect damaged leaves with grubs and egg masses

and destroy them
Shake plants to dislodge grubs, pupae and adults
Conserve natural enemies in brinjal ecosystem
Insecticides
Carbaryl 50 WP @1300 gm / ha or
Endosulfan 35 EC @1300 ml/ha
Endosulfan 35 EC @ 2ml / lit or chlorpyriphos 20
EC @ 2ml /lit to reduce the population of the beetle
SAP FEEDING INSECTS
 Contd..,

Black ant: Camponotus infuscus, Formicidae:Hymenoptera

Brown ant: Silicosis germinate, Formicidae:Hymenoptera

Carmine spider mite: Tetranychus cinnabarinus, Tetranychidae: Acarina

Brown leafhopper: Cestius phycitis
Cicadellidae: Hemiptera

Distribution
All over India

Host range
Brinjal

Biology

Small light brown leafhopper and bright yellow marks on its thorax

* Vector – little leaf of brinjal

 Minor pests
1. The brown leaf hopper,
Cestius (Hishimonus) phycitis
Transmits “little leaf of brinjal” disease
 Management
Brown leafhopper
Collect and destroy the infected plants
Spray methyl demeton 25 EC@ 1250 ml/ ha or
dimethoate 30 EC @ 1 lit / ha
4. Leaf weevil: Myllocerus subfasciatus G. (Curculionidae: Coleoptera)

• Adult is a brownish coloured beetle and measures about 1cm.

• They damage the leaves by cutting the margins in irregular fashion.
• In severe case, the plants look ugly.
• The grubs develop within the soil and known to feed on roots.
Ash weevil: Myllocerus subfaciatus
Curculionidae:Coleoptera

Distribution
All over India

Host range
Brinjal, Potato, Tomato and Millets
Biology
Egg period: 6-7 days
500 eggs / female

Adult: Eggs laid in the soil

Brownish weevil Grub: 30-45 days

White coloured,apodous
and cylindrical
Pupal: 10-12 days
Pupation: in the soil in earthen cocoons
 Management

Collect and destroy grubs and adults

Apply Neem cake @ 500 kg / ha or Endosulfan 4 %
D 25 kg/ ha
at the time of last ploughing
In endemic areas, apply carbofuran 3 G @ 15 kg/ ha –
15 days after planting
Spray carbaryl 50 WP @ 2250g + wettable sulphur 50
WP @ 1500g/ ha or
Endosulfan 35 EC @ 1500 ml/ha
Ash weevil/ Gray weevil, Myllocerus subfasciatus
(Curculionidae: Colepotera)

➢A : small, ash or gray in colour

➢Feed on the leaves from border by making a
characteristic “ U’ shaped cut
➢G : whitish and apodous and present in the soil.
➢Grubs feed on the roots - wilting of the plant
➢Adult damage leads to sickly appearance
Management:
• Drenching of chlorpyriphos @ 2.5 ml/l to kill
the grubs and
• Spray Quinolphos @ 2.0 ml/l to kill adults
2. Mites, Tetranychus sp.

• Adults and nymphs suck the sap from leaves

• Affected leaves show discoloration
• Spray dicofol @ 2.5 ml/l
 Biology of tetranychid mites

Egg:
Spherical – singly or in Nymph: Three stages
cluster
Egg period: 3 – 4 days Nymphal: period 3- 8 days
87 eggs/ life time
Spherical white eggs
4 pairs of
1. Protonymph –larva
legs– 3 pairs of
Adult: Round or spherical legs
Adult: 14 days 2. Deutonymph
40-44 generations / year 3. Tritonymph
 Eggs
Nymphs

Adult
6 Brinjal mite: Tetranychus cinnabarinus
(Tetranychidae: Acari)
• Nature of damage: Both nymphs and adults
suck the sap from lower surface of leaves
Symptom :resulting in yellowing of leaves
and dotted speckling(mark with a large number of
small spots or patches of colour.) seen on affected
leaves

Damages
5 White fly: Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Aleyrodidae:
Homoptera) It infests the undersurface of leaves causing
yellowing and drying of leaves.
Damage symptoms
Adult

Nymph

Eggs
Whiteflies, Bemisia tabaci
Family: Aleyrodidae O Homoptera
Nature & Symptom of
damage
:
Initial damage is noticed
curling up, followed by
the yellowing of the
margins of leaves, while a
continued excessive
infestation may result in
petiolation of the leaves
and subsequently stunted
growth of plants
Lacewing bugs, Urentius hystricellus
(Tingidae: Hemiptera)

• A: straw coloured with sculptured

(reticulated) wing and pronotum
Damage :
• Adults and nymphs suck sap from
the leaves
• leaves show yellow patches.
• Pest is found along with exuviae
and excreta
Management
• Spray dimethoate @ 1.7 ml/l OR
• Acephate @ 1.0 ml/l
Gall midge: Asphondylia capparis
(Cecidomyiidae : Diptera)
Other pests

Bud worm: Scrobipalpa blapsigona, Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera

Leaf roller: Antoba olivacea, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Leaf roller: Pterophorus lienigianus, Pterophoridae: Lepidoptera

Leaf webber: Psara bipunctalis, Pyraustidae:Lepidoptera

Sphingid moth: Acherontia styx, Sphingidae: Lepidoptera

Hairy caterpillar: Selepa celtis, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

S. docilis

Leaf miner: Scrobipalpa ergasima, Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera

Grasshoppers: Atractomorpha crenulata, Acrididae:Orthoptera

Oxya japonica

Poekilocerus pictus
 Contd…
Aphid: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae: Hemiptera

Cotton leafhopper: Amrasca devastans, Cicadellidae: Hemiptera

Mealy bug: Coccidohysterix insolitus, Pseudococcidea: Hemiptera

Black bug: Anoplocnemis phasiana, Coreidae: Hemiptera

Cow bug: Tricentrus bicolor, Membracidae: Hemiptera

Thrips: Thrips tabaci, Thripidae: Thysanoptera

Frankliniella schultzei, Thripidae: Thysanoptera

Scirtothrips dorsalis, Thripidae: Thysanoptera

Scale insects: Aonidiella aurantii, Diaspididae: Hemiptera

Aspidiotus destructor, Diaspididae: Hemiptera

Parasaissetia nigra, Diaspididae: Hemiptera

Insect Pests of Tomato

Pests of Tomato
•Whitefly
•Fruit borers
•Leaf miner
•South American pinworm
•Mites
Thrips
White fly: Bemisia tabasci

Adults

Damage Nursery
Sucking insects
Whitefly: Bemisia tabaci,
Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera
Distribution
India, Srilanka, Nigeria, Congo,
West Africa, Japan and Europe
Host range
Cotton, Tomato, Tobacco, Sweet Potato ,
Cassava, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Melon, Brinjal and Bhendi.
Biology * Vector – leaf curl virus
Egg period: 3-5 days
Pear shaped,light yellowish-
Adult: undersurface of leaves

white tiny, scale like adults

Nymph: 9-14 days
TLC : 14 – 17 days
Oval, scale like, greenish white

Pupal period: 2-8 days

Spiraling whitefly: Aleurodicus dispersus
Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera
Distribution
All over inidia

Host range:
Guava, Cassava, Cotton, Chillies, Tomato, Brinjal, Bhendi, Papaya, Crotons,
and Weed plants such as Euphorbia, Corchorus, Eclipta, Vernonia, Acalypha,
Alternanthra,Amaranthus, Convolvulus, Abutilon etc.,

Biology
Nymphal:22-30 days
Egg period: 5-8 days
Eggs laid in a spiraling pattern

Adult: 13-18 days

White in colour with waxy coating –
body
TLC: 40-50 days
 White fly, Bemisia tabaci
(Aleurodidae: Homoptera)
• Serious pest in some patches
• Transmits “Tomato leaf curl” viral disease
Nature of damage: Nymphs suck sap from the
leaves.
Symptom of damage: Affected plants show
yellowing, curling and drying up of leaves
Leaf curl disease results in yellowing and curling of
leaves. Disease affected plants show stunted
growth, do not bear fruits
Management :
• Cover nursery with Nylon 40mm mesh sized
net to prevent the entry of whiteflies
• Collect and burn disease affected plants in the
main field if necessary
• Spray systemic insecticide triazophos @ 1.5
ml/l or acephate @1g/l on 10-15 days old
nursery seedlings
• Do not spray synthetic pyrethroid as these
causes resurgence in whitefly
Management
Uproot and completely destroy the diseased leaf curl plants

Collect and destroy damaged leaves with eggs, nymphs, pupae and

adults

Use nitrogen and irrigation judiciously

Yellow sticky traps @ 15/ha to attract and kill the adults

Fish oil rosin soap (FORS): 17.5 kg/ ha or methyl demeton 750 ml or
endosulfan 1500 ml along with FORS 8.75 kg/ha

Encourage activity of parasitoid: Eretmocerus masii

Predators: Brumus sp. and Chrysoperla

 B. TOMATO

1. Fruit borers: Helicoverpa armigera (Hb.) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
(Refer under maize and tobacco respectively for adult characters)
• The caterpillars bore in to the fruit. Adult
• Damaged fruits are unmarketable.
Damage
Larva

Eggs

Pupa
 Fruit borer: Helicoverpa armigera,
Noctuidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
Tropics, Sub-tropic and Temperate regions
Host range
Bhendi, Chillies, Tomato, Tobacco, Cotton, Cowpea,
Groundnut, Linseed, Sunflower and Millets *Eggs laid singly
8 generations/ year
Pupation – soil
Egg period: 4 -8 days
Biology 300 eggs/ female 5 instars
Yellowish white spherical eggs
Eggs laid – tender shoots and young fruits
Adult: Larval: 18-25 days
Light brown stout Newly emerged - yellowish white
moth with ‘V’ speck - Full grown -Green with dark grey
forewings lines and pale bands
Pupal: 6-21 days
TLC: 28- 42 days
Pupation: earthen cocoon in the soil
Dark brown pupa with spine at the posterior end
Tomato fruit borer: Helicoverpa armigera

Larva Adult
 Fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera
(Noctuide: Lepidoptera)

• Serious and regular pest on tomato

Appearance:
➢Moth stout bodied, brownish FW with ‘U’
shaped speck. HW pale with dark border.
➢Larva appear in different colours
(polymorphism) like green, black, brown and
grey.
Fruit borer: Helicoverpa armigera

Egg Larvae

Adult Adult
Pupa
Damage
Nature of damage:
• Larvae bore into the fruits
and feed pulp
• Half of the body inside
the fruit and remaining
outside
Damage symptoms
• Rotting and premature
dropping of fruits
• Fruits lose market value
and unfit for consumption
Damage
Biology:
▪ Female moth lays single, shining and
sculptured eggs on the flower buds and young
fruits
▪ Fecundity is 400- 1500 eggs per female

▪ IP – 3-5 days; LP- 15-21 days; PP- 9-11 days

▪ Pupation in the soil.

 Integrated Management of
Helicoverpa armigera:
• Cultural method
• Mechanical method
• Physical method
• Biological method
• Chemical method
• Use of marigold (African tall) as trap crop @
1:16 rows. Plant trap crop 20 days before
planting of tomato
• Setting up of pheromone trap (2-3 traps/ac) and
monitor the moths
• Release of egg parasitoid, Trichogramma
chilonis @50,000/ week for six times
• Spray NSKE @ 5% and spray HaNPV @ 250
LE/ha
• Spray carbaryl @ 4g/l OR spinosad @ 0.1 ml/l
OR indoxacarb @ 0.3 ml/l
Management
Collect and destroy the larvae and infested fruits

Light trap @ 1/ ha

Pheromone traps @ 12/ha (Heli lure) to attract male moths

Grow less susceptible genotypes: Rupali, Roma and Pusa red plum

Egg parasitoid: Trichogramma chilonis for 6 times @ 50,000/ha/week -

first release coinciding with flowering time

Predator: Chrysoperla cornea at weekly interval @ 50,000 eggs or

grubs /ha from 30 days after plantings

Encourage activity of egg parasitiods:

Chelonus narayani, Campoletis chloridae, Carcelia illota
Larval parasitoids: Bracon kitcheneri, Microbracon curvimaculatus
ETL: 10 % of fruiting parts

NPV 1.5 x 10 12 POBs / ha + 0.1 % teepol + cotton seed kernel extract

300g/ha, three time, each application should be followed by Trichogramma
release

Grow simultaneously 40 days old american tall merigold and 25 days old

tomato seedlings at 1:6 row to attract H.armigera adults for egg laying

Insecticides: Endosulfan 35 EC @ 1000 ml/ha or

Carbaryl 50 WP @ 1000 g/ ha or

Quinalphos 25 EC @ 1250ml/ha

Avoid the combination of insecticides

 Tomato fruit borer: Spodoptera litura
F. Noctuidae O. Lepidoptera

Egg

Adult

Damage Larvae
Leaf eating caterpillar: Spodoptera litura
Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Distribution
India, Japan, Srilanka, Bangladesh,
China, Korea, Pakistan and Indonesia
TTTTT

Host range
Cabbage, Yam, Sweet Potato, Banana, Bhendi, Soybean, Chillies, Tomato,
Tobacco, Groundnut, Cotton, Pulses, Safflower and Millets

Biology * 6 instars
Eggs laid in groups
Egg period: 3-5 days
Eggs lain in groups- covered with
hairs
Adult: 7-10 days
Larval: 20-28 days
Wavy white markings –
forewings Full grown –pale brown
White hindwings – brown patch with a greenish to violet
along its margin Pupal: 7 -11 days
tinge
TLC: 30-40 days Pupation : earthen cell in the soil
 Tobacco caterpillar: Spodoptera litura
(Noctuidae : Lepidoptera)

• Polyphagous in nature.

• Major pest of tomato and widely distributed.

• Moths are stout, pale to dark brown.

• Forewings grayish brown with wavy white

marking.

• Hind wings are opalescent, semi-hyaline, white

with dark brown marginal line.
• Eggs laid in clusters usually on ventral side of tender
leaves and covered with brown hairs.

• Caterpillar stout, cylindrical, 40-50 mm when full

grown pale brown with a greenish to violet tinge,
smooth, velvety, possess a series of sub-marginal
narrow yellow spots with black lunules above them.

• Anteriorly and posteriorly a black band around the

body may also be seen.
• Pupation in soil.

• TLC – 30-40 days.

• Freshly hatched larvae feed gregariously,

scraping the leaves from ventral side, later
disperse, feeding voraciously at night on the
foliage.

• Larvae also feed on fruits hollowing these out.

Flower damage by Spodoptera
 Biology:
• Nature of damage :
• Symptom of damage:
Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

Adult

Larva
Pupa

Eggs
Larval feeding Scraping

Foliar damage Flower damage

 Integrated Management of
Spodoptera litura:
• Cultural method
• Mechanical method
• Physical method
• Biological method
• Chemical method
 Management
Plough the soil to expose and kill the pupae
Grow castor along border and irrigation channel – trap crop
Flood the field to drive out the hibernating larvae
Light trap @1/ha
Pheromone traps (Pherodin SL ) @ 12/ ha to attract male moths
Collect and destroy egg masses in castor and tomato
Hand pick grown up larvae and kill them
NPV @ 1.5 X 1012 POBs / ha + 2.5 Kg crude sugar + 0.1 % teepol
Bait: Rice bran 12.5 Kg + Molasses or Brown sugar 2.5Kg + Carbaryl 50 WP
1.25 Kg – Mix the ingredients well – Kept around the field

Insecticides
Chlorpyriphos 2 litre / ha Adopt high volume sprayer
Dichlorvos 1 litre / ha to cover the foliage and soil
Endosulfan 1250 ml/ ha surface
•`
• Management:
• Plant castor (50/acre) as trap crop which attracts the
egg laying moth.

• Collect and destroy egg masses and young larvae on

skeletonised leaves both on trap crop castor and also
tomato.

• Install pheromone traps @ 4 / acre to monitor the

pest.

• Spray 5% NSKE to kill early stage larvae.

• Flood irrigation may be adopted to bring out hiding larvae.

• Grown up larvae can be managed with poison bait (10kg Rice

or wheat bran + 1-2kg jaggary+100 monocrotophos or
100gram Thiodiocarb +2-3 litre of water) distributed in the
field near base of the plant (spot appliaction)
3. Leaf miner: Lyriomyza trifolii (Agromyzidae: Diptera)

• The adult is a small fly.

• The maggot mines in to the leaves below the epidermal layer in a zigzag manner and
pupates inside the leaf mines.
• In severe cases the mined leaves dry up.
• It also attacks cotton, safflower, peas, beans and vegetable crops.

adult

Eggs

Maggot
Leaf mining damage on leaves
Serpentine leaf miner: Liriomyza trifolii
Agromyzidae:Diptera

Distribution
Introduced pest

Host range
Tomato, Cucurbits and Castor

Biology Egg period: 2-4 days

Eggs laid – epidermal layer of leaves

Maggot: 7-10
Adult: Minute, orange
Minute, pale yellow in colour yellowish and apodous
Pupal period: 5-7 days
Pupation: inside the leaf mine
 Leaf minor :Liriomyza trifoli

Eggs larvae

Adult

Pupae

Damage
 Leaf miner, Liriomyza trifolii
(Agromyzidae: Diptera)

The adult is a small fly. Maggots mines into the leaves below
epidermal layer in a zig zag manner and pupates in soil.
 Leaf miner , Liriomyza trifolii
(Agromyzidae: Diptera)
• Serious pest on tomato
• Biology: Adults insert eggs into the leaf lamina
• IP : 1-2 days maggots turn yellowish and are ready to pupate.
• EP : 2-3 days, LP : 6-10 days, PP : 7-8 days, TLC : 15 days.
• Maggots mine between the epidermal layers of the leaves in a
characteristic serpent manner
• Pupation in the soil i.e., pupates externally, either on the
foliage or in the soil just beneath the surface.
• Infested leaves curl, dry and drop down
• Set up yellow sticky traps (20/ac)
• Spray acephate @ 2g/l
• Management:

• Use of yellow sticky traps - especially in greenhouse.

• 4% neem seed karnel extract or triazophos 0.05% or

decamethrin 0.015%.

• Avermectins are also effective.

• No. of parasitoids reported of these Diglyphus beginii and

Opius dissitus are effective in many parts of world.

• The D. beginii imported into India and field released around

Bangalore and is yet to establish.
 Thrips: Frankliniella schultzei
F. Thripidae O. Thysanoptera

Adult

Nymph

Leaf damage Fruit damage

 • Thrips: Frankliniella schultzei
• F. Thripidae O. Thysanoptera

Vector of Tomato Spotted Wilt

Virus Disease
Thrips: Thrips tabaci & Frankliniella schultzei
Thripidae: Thysanoptera

Distribution
All over India

Host range:
Tomato and Brinjal

Biology of F. schultzei Franliniella schultzei – tomato spotted wilt virus

Egg period: 5-10 days

Adult:
Nymphal:5-10 days
Fringed wings with hairs
TLC: 14-32 days

Pupal: 6 days
Management

Mechanically uproot the diseased plants and destroy them

Yellow sticky traps @ 15/ ha

First instar larvae of Chrysoperla cornea @ 10,000/ ha

Methyl demeton 25 EC @ 1000ml/ha or Dimethoate 30 EC @1000ml/ha

Integrated Management of
Tuta absoluta: F. Gelechiidae O Lepidoptera

• Cultural method
• Mechanical method
• Physical method
• Biological method
• Chemical method
 Aphids: Aphis gossypii

Adults

Damage
Green leafhopper, Amrasca devastans (Cicadellidae:Homoptera)
 Biology:
• Nature of damage:
• Symptom of damage:

• Management :
Red spider mite: Tetranychus cinnabarinus
F. Tetranychidae O. Acari

Nymphs and adults Damage

Predator
 Biology:
• Nature of damage:
• Symptom of damage:
• Management :
2. Fruit sucking moth: Otheris fullonia Linn.; O. meterna Linn.; O.
ancilla Linn.
(Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
(Refer under Citrus) Adults are damaging stages. The adults puncture the fruits with
proboscis and suck the sap resulting in rotting of fruits.

Damage symptoms
Eudocima fullonia (Linn.)
Othreis materna

Othreis ancilla
 Other pests
• White fly: Bemisia tabaci:

• Aphids:

• mites:

• Jassids

• White grub
Management

Collect and destroy the mined leaves

Spray neem seed kernel extract (NSKE)5%

Other pests
Spotted leaf beetle: Epilachna vigintioctopunctata, Coccinellidae:

Coleoptera

Cabbage green semilooper: Trichioplusia ni, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Aphids: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae: Hemiptera

Striped mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcideae: Hemiptera

Green leafhopper: Amrasca devastans, Cicadellidea: Hemiptera

Tobacco leaf bug: Nesidiocoris tenuis, Miridae: Hemiptera

Fruit sucking moth: Othreis fullonica, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

O. materna,

Red spider mite: Tetranychus cinnabarinus,Tetranychidae: Acarina

 Insect Pests of Chilli

Pests of chilli
1. Aphids
2. Thrips
3. Mites
4. Fruit borers
5. Whiteflies
 Introduction
➢ Chilli : Universal spice grown in almost all states - domestic,
market and export

➢ As a condiment, it has become indispensable in every Indian

home

➢ vegetable, sauce, pickles, curries, etc.

➢Global chilli area : 1.50 million ha with a production of around

7 million tons (Devender Reddy, 2010).

➢India exported 1.69 lakh tonnes of dry chilli in April-February

2007-2008 as against 1.23 lakh tons during 2006-07 with
an export value of Rs. 906.44 crores and Rs. 688.44
crores respectively (Anonymous, 2008).
1. Thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis (Thripidae : Thysonoptera)
 B. CHILLIES

1. Thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thripidae: Thysanoptera)

• These are elongate yellowish brown small insects measuring 2-3 mm.
• Both adults and nymphs lacerate and imbibe the sap from tender leaves
resulting in inward curling of leaves, stunted plant growth and dropping of
flower buds and fruits.
• In severe infestation, affected leaves become brittle.
• They are known to transmit leaf curl mosaic virus.

Pupa
Larva
Adult
 Biology
• The two larval stages are completed in
• 8 -10 days
• pupal stage lasts for 2.6-3.3 days.
• Adult's life span lasts 15.8 days on
eggplant, but only 13.6 days on tomato
plants
• Total Life cycle:
 Thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis
Family Thripidae O Thysanoptera
 Damage symtpoms

Egg
 Nature of damage:

Symptom of damage:
1. Thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis (Thripidae : Thysonoptera)

➢ Polyphagous

➢ Eggs : laid on or just under leaf tissues – minute & dirty white

➢ N & A : very small, slender, fragile and yellowish-straw in

colour.

➢ Adults : fringed wings that are uniformly gray in colour.

➢ Fecundity : 100 eggs @ 2 to 4 eggs per day.

➢ TLC : 2 to 3 weeks - 25 overlapping generations in a year

 Thrips
Nature of Damage :
➢ N & A = lacerate the young leaf tissues and imbibe the oozing
sap. Adult and nymphs of Scirtothrips dorsalis suck the cell
sap of leaves,
➢ Symptom: causing rolling of the leaf upward and leaf size
reduction.
➢ Buds and flowers are attacked.
➢ Tender leaves and growing shoots are the preferred.
➢ Severity : Dry weather.
➢ Leaves start curling and crumbling curl upwards along
the margins, get crinkled and reduced in size.
➢ Severe - Leaves shed & buds become brittle and drop down
causing heavy reduction in yield.
➢ Vector : Leaf curl disease.
➢ Loss : 30 to 50%.
Damaged symptom both due to
thrips and mites is called as

Murda complex
• Management :
Insecticide+Acaricide
 2. Chilli yellow mite: Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks)
(Tarsonomidae: Acari : Acarina)
• These are yellowish green in colour and translucent in nature and
measure about 0.1 mm in size.
• They appear in the terminal or Adult
auxiliary tender shoots. Nymph
• Nymphs and adults feed exclusively
on the lower surface of the leaves.
• Leaves become brittle and roll down-
ward.
• Curled leaves are dark green with their
lower surface brown and shiny
coating.

Egg

Damage Symptoms
2. Mites (white mite, yellow mite)
Polyphagotarsonemus latus
Family: Tarsonemidae : Order: Trombidiformes.
Class: Arachnida. Subclass: Acari.
 Mite : Polyphagotarsonemus latus ,
Hemitarsonemus latus
❖Polyphagous. : Fruits & vegetables including
chrysanthemum, cucumber, edible gourds,
eggplant, green beans, guava, mango, papaya,
passion fruit, pepper, pumpkin, tomato, winged
bean

❖In temperate and subtropical areas the broad

mite is a pest of greenhouse plants.

❖Distribution : cosmopolitan- Australia, Asia,

Africa, North America, South America and the
Pacific Islands.
➢ Shaped : Elliptical - slightly wider at the front than the rear.
Biology:
➢ Females : 1.5 mm long and males are slightly shorter and more
broad.
➢ Eggs are oval & slightly flattened = singly on the undersides of
new growth leaves.
➢ Fecundity : 2 to 5 eggs/day (20 - 50 eggs per female). Eggs IP :
2 to 3 days.
➢ Larvae are very small, pear-shaped and have three pairs of
legs. Just after hatching the larvae are translucent, but females
become yellowish green or dark green in color and males
yellowish brown.
➢ The larvae feed for 1 to 3 days before going into the resting
pupal stage.
➢ PP: 2 to 3 days.
➢ TLC : completed in 4 to 6 days.
 Nature of damage :

• N & A- Tender leaves.

• Curl downwards and appear twisted.

• Petioles of infested leaves get enlarged -

characteristic symptom.
 Management:
• spray Acaricides
• Fenazaquin 10 EC @ 1.7ml/liter
• or Dicofol(Kelthane 18.5EC @ 2.5ml/litre
3. Aphids: Aphis gossypii,
Myzus persicae (Aphididae : Homoptera)
Mosaic disease
 Nature and Symptom of
damage
• In severe infestation curled leaves
become brittle. The crop growth is stunted
and malformation of tender shoots, buds
and flowers is noted.
• Leaves are distorted, stunted, and often
curled under. The upper leaf surface is
sticky and has a black moldy growth
(sooty mold). And also it is a vector
of mosaic disease.
 Aphid infestation on chilli

Vector of chilli Mosaic disease

4. Fruit borers: a) Helicoverpa armigera,
b) Spodoptera litura (Noctuidae : Lepidoptera)
3. Chilli fruit borer: Helicoverpa armigera Hb. (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
• The larvae feed voraciously on fruits making a large hole and completely
devouring the internal contents.
• Caterpillar while feeding on fruits keeps half of its body outside.
• The affected fruits become white in colour.

Damage symptoms

Adult Egg
Pupa

Larva
• Oviposition : laid singly, generally on leaves and flowers but
sometimes on fruits.
• Fecundity : 500 to 3000 eggs. (1200 to 1600 eggs)
• The eggs are yellowish-white, ribbed and dome-shaped.
• Neonates : Yellowish - white in colour and gradually acquire
greenish tinge.
• Full-grown caterpillars : apple-green with whitish and dark-
gray broken longitudinal stripes.
• Pupae : Dark brown in colour and have a sharp spine at the
anal end.
• Moths :
• Biological parameters :
• IP: 2 to 4, LP : 15 to 24 and PP : 10 to 14 days
• Nature of damage :
• Young caterpillars feed on tender foliage
• Later stage caterpillars :
Attack the fruits.
➢ Bore circular holes
➢ Thrust only half of their body inside the fruit and eat the
inner contents. If the fruit is bigger in size

➢ subsequently - invaded by fungi, bacteria etc. and

spoiled completely.
➢ caterpillars move from one fruit to another and one
caterpillar may eat and destroy 2 to 8 fruits.
➢ Pupation : in soil
➢ Moths remain active during day and are seen at sunset
visiting flowers for feeding on nectar.
Integrated management
• Cultural
• Mechanical
• Physical
• Biological
• Chemical
• Trap crop : African marigold for every 25 rows of tomato
which acts as a trap crop for fruit borer eggs.

• HaNPV @ 250 LE + 1% jaggery per ha.

• Spray with quinolphos 25 EC @ 2 ml or chlorpyriphos

20 EC @ 2.5 ml or novaluron 10 EC @ 0.75 ml or lufenuron
5 EC @ 1 ml or thiodicarb 70 WP @ 1 ml / lit.
 4. Chilli fruit borer, Spodoptera litura (Hubner) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

• Caterpillars act as defoliator and once the fruits are formed bore into fruits and
fruits rotten if it rains.

Damage symptoms

Adult

Larva
Egg Mass

Pupa
Cutworms: Spodoptera exigua (Noctuidae : Lepidoptera)

Biology:
Nature of damage:
Symptom of damage:
Cutworms: Spodoptera litura
S.exigua (Noctuidae : Lepidoptera)
Integrated management
• Cultural
• Mechanical
• Physical
• Biological
• Chemical
Identification :

✓ Moths : stout, DB, FW – GB with white wavy white markings and

✓ HW - hyaline with brownish border.

✓ Eggs : clusters : covered with brown hairs

✓ Fecundity : 400 eggs ( 3 to 4 clusters, each of 80 to 150 eggs)

✓ Eggs : dirty-white & round .
✓ Caterpillars - stout, cylindrical and PB with a greenish to violet tinge.
✓ They possess a submarginal series of narrow yellow spots having
black lunules above them and a lateral series of purplish-black
spots and scattered short setae.

✓ Pupae : RB and pupation takes place in soil

✓ IP :3 to 5 , LP : 20 to 28 and PP : 7 to 11 days
✓ AL : 10 to 24 days.
✓ TLC : 30 to 40 days.
 Nature of Damage :
➢Freshly hatched caterpillars : feed gregariously,
scrapping the leaves from ventral
surface
➢Late age caterpillars : disperse and show hiding and
feeding voraciously at night on the
foliage.

➢ Feeding holes are observed on the leaves.

➢ The infestation causes dropping of young fruits.

➢ The larvae also attack fruits which enter them near calyx.

➢ Mature fruits with seed damage, faecal pellets with seed

and watery cavity can be seen.
1. Mechanically collect and destroy the egg masses as well
as gregarious larvae
2. Spray the crop with 5% NSKE
3. Poison bait : 25 kg/ha (rice bran 25 kg + jaggery 2 kg +
250 ml methomyl 40 SP + 5 l water)
Chilli Gall midge, Asphondylia capparis Rubaasaman
IP: 2.82 to 3.63 days
Duration : first, second and third
instars 2.90 ± 0.45, 4.29 ± 0.67
and 6.36 ± 0.65 days

MP : 9.88 to 15.31 days with mean

of 13.55 ± 1.77 days.

PP : 4.28 to 5.45 days with a mean

of 5.12 ± 0.50 days.

OP : 3.00 to 65.00 minutes with a

mean of 54.50 ± 6.02 minutes.
AL :2.00 to 3.25 Male (2.47 ± 0.34)
3.00 to 5.00 days female (3.92 ±
0.48 days)
 Gall midge, Asphodylia capparis ( :
Cecidomyiidae: Diptera)
Infestation :

Flower drop, reduction in yield, fruit size, seed number,

production of malformed fruits and 42.10 % of damage to
floral parts in Tamil Nadu (Rangarajan and Mahadevan,
1974).

• Nature of damage :
• Grubs infest the developing fruits and feed on the inner
content. The infestation results in shedding of flowers,
poor development of fruits, reduced fruit size and
twisting of fruits.

• Management:
Integrated Management Practices
• Deep summer ploughing
• Soil solarization
• Seed treatment – imidacloprid 70 WS
@ 10 g /kg seed + Trichoderma
• Seedling root dip method –
imidaclorpid 17.8 SL @ 0.20 ml/l for 10
min
• Neem cake / NSK powder @ 1.0 q/ac –
at 2 splits
• Boarder cropping
•Transplanting – Yellow marigold
seedlings
• Selective use of pesticides
• Insecticides – thrips and fruit
borers
• Fungicides
• Acaricides
M1: Biointensive IPM module field view
M2: Adoptable IPM module field view
M3: Farmers Practice field view
SAP FEEDERS
Chilli thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis,
Thripidae: Thysanoptera

Distribution
India, Srilanka and Thailand

Host range
Chillies, Tomato, Cotton, Castor, Sunflower, Groundnut, Mango, Citrus,
Acacia arabica, Tea, Onion, Chekkurmanis, Pomegranate, Pulses, Brinjal and
Grape vine.
Biology * Vector –leaf curl
Egg period: 5 days virus
Eggs inserted into the veins of
Adult: leaves
Larval: 7-8 days
Heavily fringed wings
Tiny slender, fragile and yellowish
TLC: 10-15 days straw in colour
Pupal: 48 – 56 hours
Pupation: leaf axil, leaf curls and base of flowers and
 Management
Inter crop with agathi Sesbania grandiflora to provide shade
which
regulate the thrips population
Do not grow chilli after sorghum – more susceptible to thrips
Do not follow chilli and onion mixed crop – both the crops
attacked by
thrips
Sprinkle water over the seedlings to check the multiplication of
thrips
Carbofuran 3G @ 200g/ cent area in the nursery
Root dip the seedlings in monocrotphos 36 SL @ 0.05% for 20
min.
before transplanting
 Contd..,

Encourage the activity of predaceous thrips: Scolothrips

indicus

and Franklinothrips megalops in the field

Yellow mite or muranai mite: Polyphagotarsonemus latus
Tarsonemidae: Acarina

Distribution
All over India

Host range
Chillies, cotton and gingelly

Biology

Oval shaped eggs and white in colour

Eggs glued firmly on the leaf surface
Egg period 2 days
Nymphs remain enclosed within the skin of quiescent larvae
Adult : large, oval and broad
Management

Insecticide: Dicofol 18.5 EC @ 2.5 ml/ lit or phosalone 35 EC 2

ml / lit or wettable sulphur 50WP @ 6 g m / lit of water
Encourage the activity of predatory mite: Amblyseius ovalis
OTHER PESTS

Green peach aphid: Myzus persicae, Aphididae: Hemiptera

Cotton aphid: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae: Hemiptera

Cotton whitefly: Bemisia tabaci, Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera

Fruit bug: Lygaeus hospes, Lygaeidae: Hemiptera

Mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera

Scale insect: Aspidiotus destructor, Diaspididae: Hemiptera

Tobacco cutworm: Spodoptera litura, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Indigo or lucerne caterpillar: Spodoptera exigua,

 Whitefly: Bemisia tabaci
Cotton aphid: Aphis
gossypii

Striped mealybug:Ferrisia
Green peach aphid: Myzus
 Contd…,
Gram caterpillar: Helicoverpa armigera, Noctuidae:
Lepidoptera

Brinjal stem borer: Euzophera perticella, Phycitidae:

Lepidoptera

Gall midge: Asphondylia capsici, Cecidomyiidae:Diptera

White grub: Holotrichia spp., Melolonthidae: Coleoptera

Larva – Helicoverpa armigera Adult – Helicoverpa armigera

Larva – Spodoptera litura Adult: Spodoptera litura

Fruit borer, Helicoverpa armigera
Helicoverpa armigera
Green peach aphid, Myzus persicae
Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci
Whitefly damage
Mealy bug, Ferrisia virgata
Scale, Aspidiotus destructor
Tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura
 Insect Pests of Potato and
Sweet potato
Pests of Potato Pests of sweet potato:
•Leaf hopper •Weevil
•Aphids •Defoliator
•Potato Tuber Moth
•Tobacco Cut
worm/Defoliator
•Mites
1.Potato tuber moth: Phthorimaea operculella Zeller.
(Family: Gelechiidae Oredr: Lepidoptera)
Serious and regular pest : occur in field &
storage . Introduced pest
• Adult is a small moth with dark brown colour.
• Both pairs of wings are narrow and fringed. adult
• Moth measures about 3/4 of an inch in wing
expansion. Larva
• It is found both in the field and in the stores.
• In field, the larvae mine into leaves and bore
into tender shoots and on developing tubers.
• In storage, they bore into the tubers and fill Pupa
the holes with excreta.
• The caterpillars are light green or pale
yellowish pink in colour.
• The caterpillar pupates in a coarse silken
cocoon on the potato or on the gunny bag in
which tubers are stored.
Nature of damage:
• In the field, larvae attacks
shoot and exposed tubers.
• Larvae bores into the shoot or
tubers and feed internal
content.
Symptom of damage:
▪ Blotching on leaves
▪ Tubers show holes plugged
with excreta.
▪ Rotting tubers is common
symptoms in the storage
Potato tuber moth: Phthorimaea operculella
SYMPTOMS
Potato tuber moth: Phthorimaea operculella
Potato tuber moth: Phthorimaea operculella
Integrated Management of Phthorimaea operculella
Cultural method
Mechanical method
Physical method
Biological method
Chemical method
 Integrated Management:
• Selection of healthy tubers for planting
• Setting up of pheromone traps @ 12 /ha
• Release of egg - larval parasitoid, Chilonis blackburni @
30000/ha twice at 40 and 70 days after planting
• Earthing up to cover the exposed tubers
• Spray quinalphos @ 2ml/l OR Neem oil @1%
• Fumigate the tubers with methyl bromide 2.5-5 kg/1000 c. mt
for 3 hrs controls pest in stored tubers meant for consumption.
• Fumigate the store houses with safe fumigants / under the
guidance of Govt. agencies EDB.
• Dust Malathion 5%D on bag for potato meant for planting.
• Cover tubers with 2.5 cm thick layer of sand to prevent the
infestation.
2. Cutworm: Agrotis ipsilon (Hofn.) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
• This is a polyphagous and nocturnal insect.
Female
• Adult is a black coloured medium sized moth,
fore wings are dark brown in colour with spots in
the centre and wavy lines at the margin.
• The hind wings are dull white with smoky
margin.
Male
• The larva is dark brown in colour and measures
about 4 cm in length.
• When plants are young they feed on the leaves
and also cut the tender stems at the ground level.

Eggs
Pupa
larva
 Potato cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Noctuidae:
Lepidoptera)
• A: stout, brownish FW with black spot and white HW
• L: dark in colour, nocturnal in habit
• Eggs are laid on leaves or moist soil
• IP- 2-3 days; LP- 30 days; PP- 8-10 days
 Nature of damage:Larva cuts
the sprouting buds and
growing plants which reduces
the growth and yield

Symptom of damage:
Management:
• Spray or drench chlorpyriphos @ 2.5 ml/l
• Dusting with malathion 5% / quinalphos 1.5% @ 20
kg/ha at planting time.

• Drenching the soil with contact

insecticides(Chlorpyriphos@2ml/l) in the early stage,
later stage spray the foliage also along with
drenching.

• Poison bating:25 kg / ha
(Monocrotophos125 ml + 2 kg Jaggery + 1 lt
water + 25 kg wheat/rice bran).
4. Potato Shoot borer: Leucinodes orbonalis Guen.
(Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera)

• The larva bores into tender shoots resulting in drooping and drying of the tip.
Lady bird beetle / Epilachna beetle / Spotted leaf beetle:
Henosepilachina vigintioctopanctata
(Coccinellidae : Coleoptera)

• A: brownish, semispherical with 12-28 black spots on

elytra.

• Lays elongate, spindle shaped yellowish eggs in groups

of 10-20 on the lower surface of leave.

• Grubs yellowish with no of spines on body.

• Both grubs and adults scrape the epidermis of leaves

and produce characteristic scraped area.
• The affected leaves dry and fall off.

• Pupation on leaf or stem.

• TLC – 17-50 days.

• Hosts : Brinjal, tomato.

Leaf hopper: Amrasca biguttula biguttula
(Cicallellidae : Homoptera)
– Adults wedge shaped.
– Eggs inserted into leaf tissue on midrib or veins.
Nature of damage: A & N suck sap from tender
foliage.
Symptom of damage: Leaves become yellowish, curl
along leaf margin.
– If severe, neurotic spots coalesce forming brown
patches.
 Management:
Spray systemic insecticides
 Whitefly: Bemisia tabaci
(Aleyrodidae : Homoptera)

• Polyphagous

• Adults tiny, moth like white body inducing wings which

are covered with a white spray bloom.

• Eggs laid on leaves on short stalks. Which are light

yellowish, pear shaped.

• Nymphs oval, scale like ad greenish white.

• On hatching ‘N’ crawl a little, beetle down on a

succulent spot on lower surface of leaf and suck sap.
 Nature of damage:
Symptom of damage: Leaves become yellowish,
curl downwards and finally shed dew excreted leaves
show sooty mold.

• Management:
• Place yellow sticky traps / tins with grease as the flies attracted
to yellow color and stick.

• Spray triazophos 2.5 ml / l or profenophos 2 ml/l.

• Do not spray pyrethroid as it causes resurgence.

Sweet potato
Sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Curculionidae :
Coleoptera)
➢ Regular pest on sweet potato
➢ Pest on field & storage
➢ Grubs: whitish & apodous
➢ Adult is small, ant like black
➢ weevil with reddish brown
➢ thorax and legs
Nature of Damage:Grubs bore
into the shoot and adults bore the tubers
and feeds internal content
Symptom of Damage:
resulting in drying up of vines and holes in the tubers
Management
➢ Pest free material for planting
➢ Earthing
➢ Use cut sweet potato tubers as
traps at 50-80 days of
planting. Set the traps in
evening
➢ Spray Quinalphos @ 2 ml/l
OR phosolone @ 1.5 ml/l
Tortoise beetle, Aspidiomorpha miliaris
(Chrysomelidae: Coleoptera)
✓ A: broad, oval shaped beetles with brownish red
colour and black spots
✓ G : yellowish with protruded anal portion with which
covers the back with excreta and cast skin
Nature of Damage:
Symptom of Damage:
✓ Adults and grubs feed on leaves resulting in holes

✓ Phosolone @ 1.5 ml/l

Cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon, (Hofn.)
(Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

✓ Polyphagous & nocturnal

✓ Adult: black & medium sized
✓ FW: dark brown in colour with
black spot in the centre and
wavy lines in the margin.
✓ HW : dull white with smoky
margin
3. Lady bird beetle: Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.)
(Coccinellidae: Coleoptera)

• These beetles are hemispherical and pale brown with 28 black spots on the elytra.
• The grubs are yellowish with a number of spines on the body.
• Both adults and grubs scrape the epidermis of the leaves from the upper side and
produce characteristic sreaks.
• The affected leaves dry and fall off.
• It also attacks brinjal and tomato crops.

Grub
Adult Eggs
Damage symptoms
Lady bird beetle, Vigintioctopunctata (F.),
(Coccinellidae: Coleoptera)

✓A : hemispherical, pale
brown with 28
black spots on the
elytra.

✓Attack brinjal, potato,

tomato and
ashwagandha
Grub : Yellowish
Both adults and grubs scrape the
epidermis of the leaves or the
upper side and produce and
produce characteristics streaks.
• They feed on leaves.

• Pupation in soil.

• Management:

• Quinalphos@2ml/litre or Oxydemeton-methyl @
1ml/ lit
Aphid :Myzus persicae Family: Aphididae Order: Homoptera

Vectors of potato virus diseases

 Mite: Polyphagotarsonemus latus damage

P. latus damage on terminal shoot Loss of tuber size due to P.latus infestation
Entire plot infested due to P.latus

Nature of damage:
Symptom of damage:
 Management of potato Mite: Polyphagotarsonemus latus

First Spray Fenazaquin 10EC @ 1.7ml/litre or Dicofol 18.50EC

@ 2.5ml/litre when the crop is 50-55 days old At one week interval

Then ,spray Wettable Sulphur 80WP @ 3gram per litre

Note: Spray should by done at the lower part of crop canopy

Colorado potato beetle: Leptinotarsa decemlineata
White grubs, Holotrichia spp.
Anomala bengalensis
Insect Pests of Cruciferous
Vegetables
Ex.12. PESTS OF CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES
1. The Diamond back moth: Plutella xylostella (L) (Plutellidae: Lepidoptera)
• The moth is grayish brown with narrow wings having Adult
pale white triangular marking at the anal margin,
which forms diamond like white patch dorsally when
at rest.
• Eggs are deposited singly on the under surface of
leaves along the veins.
• The larva is greenish with thin hairs.
• It feeds on the foliage, bites holes and damages the
cabbage.
• The full-grown caterpillar is greenish with the anterior
region pale brown in colour.
• Pupation takes place in a white silken cocoon, which
is often exposed.

Larva

Eggs

Pupa
Diamond back moth: Plutella xylostella
Plutellidae:Lepidoptera
Distribution
World wide

Host range
Cabbage,Cauliflower and Other Crucifers
Egg period: 2-6 days
Biology 35 minute yellow coloured eggs/ female
Singly or in groups – upper surface of leaves
Adult:
Diamond shaped
Larval: 14 -21 days
yellow spots on the
Pale greenish caterpillar
proximal portion -
forewings
Pupal: 7-11 days
Pupation: transparent cocoon on the foliage
Nature of damage:

Symptom of damage:
Damage symptoms
 Diamond back moth, Plutella xylostella (L)
(Plutellidae: Lepidoptera)

Moth: GB ë narrow wings having

pale white triangular markings at
the anal margin

forms diamond like white

patch dorsally at repose.
Larva : Greenish feeds on the
foliage, bites holes and damages the
cabbage.
Damage symptoms
Integrated management
Cultural
Mechanical
Physical
Biological
Chemical
Management
• Crop rotation with cucurbits, beans, peas, tomato and melon
• Mustard as trap crop (2:25)
1st row sown / planted 15 days before the cabbage /
cauliflower &
2nd row after 25 days of planting
• Pheromone trap to monitor the pest 12 /ha
• Pheromontraps @ 12/ha
• Larval parasitoid: Diadegma semiclausum @ 1,00000/ha
(Hills – below 25 –27º C)
• Cotesia plutellae (plains) at 20000/ha release from 20 days after
planting.
• Spray Bt @ 1g/l - NSKE @ 5% - spinosad 45 SC @ 0.3 ml/l
and cartap @ 1g/l
2. Leaf webber: Crocidolomia binotalis Z. (Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera)
• Adult is a pale yellowish
brown moth with fore
wings marked with wavy
black lines and speckles.
• Male moth is
characterized by the
Adult
presence of tuft of hairs
at the base of costal
margin of fore wings.
• Eggs are flat and laid in
masses.
• The larva is green with
red or reddish brown
head and longitudinal Eggs Larva
brown stripes on the
body.
• They web the leaves with
silken thread and feed.
• They pupate either on
the plant or in the soil.
Pupa
Damage symptoms
 Leaf Webber: Crocidolomia binotalis

Appearance:
Egg: laid in groups under surface of
leaves.
Larva: Green coloured .
Pupa: pupation takes place within the
Larva
webbed up leaves .
Adult
• FW having distinct wavy lines and
prominent wavy spots .
• HW - semi hyaline colour .

Adult
 Damage symptoms:
• L: webs the green leaves with
silken thread and skeletonizes
the webbed leaves.
Larval scrabbing the leaves

• feeds gregariously on web

leaves by remaining inside.

Larval webbing the head

 Management :
• Remove and destroy the webbed leaves with
caterpillars within
• Set up light traps@ 1/ ha
• Encourage the activity of parasitoid: Cotesia
crocidolomiae
• Spray malathion 50 EC @ 0.1% or carbaryl 0.2%
3. Cabbage head borer: Hellula undalis Fb. (Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera)

• The moth is small with Adult Eggs

wavy lines and a central
elliptical marking on its
forewing.
• It lays yellowish shiny
eggs on the leaves.
• The brownish larva has a
black head and four
longitudinal lines on the Larva Pupa
body.
• The larvae web the
leaves or bore into stem,
stalk or leaf veins.
• Thus they become unfit
for marketing.
Damage symptoms
 Cabbage borer: Hellula undalis
Appearance:
• Egg: Yellow shiny eggs – on
the leaves
• Larva: Full grown larva-
greyish –yellow with seven
purplish –brown longitudinal
stripes
• Adult: Pale greyish brown
moth with wavy grey
markings
 Damage symptoms:

• The larva webs the leaves.

• Bore into the stem, stalks

or leaf veins and cabbage
and consumes its inner
content.
5. Cabbage Green Semilooper: Trichoplusia ni Hb. (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

• The moth is stout, brown

Adult
in colour, with light wavy
markings and a more
slender Y mark on fore
wings.
• The female lays greenish
white spherical eggs
singly on the under
surface of leaves.
• The caterpillar is green in
colour with light wavy
white lines and a broader
lateral strip.
• It pupates in a thin cocoon Larva Eggs
on the under surface of
the leaflets.
• Under heavy infestation,
entire leaf is skeletonised
leaving only the midrib.

Pupa
Damage symptoms
 Cabbage green semilooper: Trichoplusia ni

Appearance:
• Egg - Greenish –white, spherical
and sculptured eggs.
• Eggs laid singly on ventral Egg larva
surface of leaves.
• Larva - Slender and green in
colour with light wavy lines
• Adult: Stout, brown moth, head
and thorax grey in colour,
abdomen white
• Forewings grey wavy in colour Adult
with a slendery – marking
 Damage symptoms:
• Scrabbing of leaves
initially and defoliation
 Management :

• Hand pick and destroy the

caterpillars
• Set up light trap @1/ha
• Spray insecticides like
malathion 50EC @ 0.1% ha.
4. Cabbage Butterfly: Pieris brassicae L. (Pieridae: Lepidoptera)

• The butterfly is fairly Female

large, yellowish-white
in colour with a pair of
black dots on the fore
wings.
• The cater pillars
conspicuous in colour Adult Larva
(mixture of black and
yellow), with a Male
covering of fine hairs.
• The full-grown
caterpillar is about 1.9
cm long.
• The chrysalis is naked Eggs
and tied by a girdle.
Pupa
• It is closely oppressed
to midrib on lower
surface.
Damage symptoms
 Cabbage butterfly: Pieris brassicae, P.rapae

Larva
• Velvety bluish green in
colour with black dots
• Yellow dorsal and lateral
stripes covered with white
hairs.
Pupa: chrysalis which takes
place in leaves and stem.
Adult: White butterfly
 Damage symptoms:

• Defoliation
• Bores into the heads
of cabbage
 Management :

• Collect and destroy caterpillars in the early stage of

attack .
• Conserve parasitoids like Cotesia glomeratus .
• Spray insecticides like quinalphos 25EC @ 1000 ml or
 Painted bug,
Bagrada cruciferarum
(Pentatomidae: Hemiptera)

• Adults: small with black, yellow

and white patches on the body.
• N & A: suck the sap -- leaves
• Affected plant show stunted growth

• Spray dimethoate @ 1.5 ml/l or

• Oxydemeton methyl @ 1.5 ml/l
7. Painted bug: Bagrada cruciferarum F. (Pentatomidae: Hemiptera)

• Adult is small dark brown bug with red and yellow markings on the body and
appeas as if painted and measures 0.5 cm in length.

• The vigour of the crop is reduced by its feeding.

Eggs Newly Third Late instar

emerged instar nymph
nymphs nymph

Adult
6. Cabbage aphid: Brevicoryne brassicae,
Lipaphis erysimi
Myzus persicae Sulz.
(Aphididae : Homoptera)
• These aphids are green in colour.
• Both young ones and adults are found in colonies and suck the sap resulting in
the retardation of growth.
• Sooty mould development makes the produce unfit for market.

Brevicoryne brassicae,
Brevicoryne brassicae,
Cabbage aphid: Brevicoryne brassicae
Aphididae: Hemiptera
Distribution
All over India

Host range
Cabbage, Cauliflower, Radish
and other crucifers
Biology * 21 generations/ year

Egg period: Nymphal: 10-15 days

Pale yellow
with green tinge Yellowish green in colour
Adult:
Dark yellowish – green in colour
TLC: 11-25 days
Mustard aphid: Lipaphis erysimi
Aphididae: Hemiptera
Distribution
All over India

Host range
Cruciferous crops * 11- 20 generations -year

Biology
Reproduction : viviparous parthenogentic
Female apterae 30-60 nymphs
Female alate 29-48 nymphs
Light in colour, slightly larger in size than B.b
Damage symptoms - Brevicoryne brassicae

Myzus persicae
 Cabbage aphid:Brevicoryne brassicae,

Appearance
• Nymphs and adults
yellowish green with wavy nymphs
white filament over the
body
 Damage symptoms:

• Both nymph and adults

suck the sap from
leaves, buds and pods.
• Yellowing Crinkling
and cupping
• Advanced stage plants
may wither and die.
 Management:

• Set up yellow stick trap to

monitor aphid population.
• Conserve the natural
enemies viz., Cocciniella
septempunctata, Menochilus
sexmaculata,
• Spray dimethoate@ 1.75 ml
/ lit
 Damage symptoms:
• The greatest crop loss occurs during
the spring when flea beetle feed on
cotyledons and first true leaves
during the first two weeks after
emergence.

• Leaf tissue of the cotyledons die

around adult flea beetle feeding sites
producing a shot-hole appearance
and necrosis, killing the plant.
 Management:
Economic Threshold
Seedling: 25% defoliation of cotyledons and first true leaves
Cultural control
Crop rotation, early planting.
Biological control
• Predators known to feed on flea beetles include lacewing larvae
(Chrysoperla carnea), big-eyed bugs (Geocoris bullatus), the two-lined
collops (Collops vittatus), the western damsel bug (Nabis alternatus) and
the northern field cricket (Gryllus pennsylvanicus). Parasitic wasps, like
Microtonus vittate, are known to attack crucifer flea beetles
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Cabbage

Nursery
Adopt raised nursery beds for good drainage thereby
avoid damping off in nurseries.
Seed treatment with Trichoderma viridi @ 4g/kg of
seed in nursery to prevent infection of soil borne/seed
borne fungal diseases or Add 50 g of Trichoderma viride
to 1 kg of FYM. Mix in 2 1m .
Spray nursery with B. t if DBM is noticed.
Spray Dithane M 45 or Ridomyl against Downy
mildew as this disease is generally seen in nursery.
 Main field
Sow two rows of Mustard after every 25 rows of cabbage as a trap crop. This traps
DBM, leaf webber, aphids etc. These can be removed or sprayed with dichlorovos 0.1%.
(One row of mustard is sown 15 days before cabbage planting and second 25 days after
planting of cabbage.
Adopt wide spacing of 60 x 45 cm to reduce the incidence of diseases especially black
rot.
Use light traps for adult DBM and spray B. t if DBM 1.0/plant is noticed early.
Protect cabbage crop at primordia formation (18-25 DAP- head initiation
stage) by spraying NSKE 5% Repeat if DBM is > 2/plant at 10-15 days
interval. Maximum of 3-4 NSKE sprays in one crop season are required.
Spray either novaluron 10 EC @ 100 ml/acre (18-25 DAP) or spinosad 45 SC for DBM

Collection and destruction of egg masses

Installation of pheromone traps @ 10/ha for mass trapping
Light traps are also effective
Spray SlNPV 250LE (2 x 19 in the evening for early instars
Need based application of rynaxypyr
 Cabbage borer: Hellula undalis,
Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
World wide

Host range
Cabbage, Cauliflower, Radish,
Knol khol and Beet root

Biology Egg period: 4 days

Yellow shiny eggs – on the leaves
Adult:
Pale yellowish brown
moth with wavy grey Larval: 7-12 days
markings Full grown larva- greyish –
TLC: 15-25 days yellow with seven purplish –
Pupal: 5-7 days brown longitudinal stripes
Pupation: cocoon in the soil
Management
Collect and destroy mechanically caterpillars in the early
stages of attack
Bacillus thuringiensis @ 1000g/ ha at primordial
stage
Larval parasitoid: Bracon hebetor
Cartap hydrochloride @ 500g /ha or malathion 50EC
@500ml/ha
Management
Remove and destroy all debris and stubbles after harvest of
crop
Grow mustard as trap crop at 2:1 ratio (cabbage: mustard)
to attract DBM for oviposition at least 10 days ahead of
planting of main crop
Spray mustard crop with dichlorvos 76 WSC 0.076% to
avoid dispersal of the larvae
Inter crop with tomato: 1:1
Pheromone traps @ 12/ha
Plough the field immediately after harvest
Remove alternate hosts and crop residues
 Contd.,,
Crop rotation: cucurbits, beans, peas,tomato and melon
Regulate irrigation with sprinkler to disrupt oviposition
and dislodge the first instar larvae
Larval parasitoid: Diadegma semiclausm @ 50,000/ha 60
days after planting (Hills – below 25 –27º C)
Egg parasitoid: Trichogramma chilonis @ 2.5 lakhs/ ha
Larval parasitoid: Cotesia plutellae@ 3,000/ ha (plains)
Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki 400 g + deltamethrion
400 ml/ha
Neem seed kernel extract @ 25kg/ha
Cartap hydrochloride 500 g/ ha at 10,20 and 30 DAS
(nursery) and primordial stage
Cabbage butterfly: Pieris brassicae
Pieridae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
Europe, India, and North America

Host range
Cabbage, Cauliflower, Knol khol, Radish and Turnip
Egg period: 4 days
Biology 50-80 eggs/ female
Eggs laid–leaf surface
Adult:
Larval: 16 days
White butterfly with Velvetty bluish green in colour
black markings - with black dots; yellow dorsal
wings stripes covered with white hairs
Pupal: 8 days
Pupation:leaves and stem
Management
Collect and destroy caterpillars in the early stage of
attack
Encourage the activity of Cotesia glomeratus
Insecticides: Quinalphos 25EC @ 1000 ml or
endosulfan 35 EC @1400 ml or malathion 50 EC
@1000 ml
 Cabbage webber: Crocidolomia binotalis
Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
India, Myanmar, Srilanka, Africa,
South East Asia and Australia

Host range
Cabbage, Radish, Mustard, Turnip and other crucifers
Biology Egg period: 5-15days
Eggs laid in groups (40-100) – under surface of leaves
Adult:
Small moth with light Larval: 24-27 days
brownish forewings Red head with brown
longitudinal stripes
Pupal: 14-40 days
Pupation: cocoon within the webbed up leaves
 Management

Remove and destroy the webbed leaves with caterpillars within

Light traps@ 1/ ha

Encourage the activity of parasitoid: Cotesia crocidolomiae

Insecticides: malathion 50 EC @ 950ml/ ha or dichlorvos 76 WSC @ 500

ml / ha
Cabbage green semilooper: Trichoplusia ni
Noctuidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
India, Srilanka and USA

Host range
Cabbage, Cauliflower, Tomato and Other crucifers
Biology
Egg period:
Greenish –white, spherical and sculptured eggs
Eggs laid singly – ventral surface of leaves

Adult:
Larval:
Stout, brown moth, ‘y’
Slender and green in
markings on forewings
colour with light wavy
TLC: 30-35 days Pupal: lines and broad lateral
Pupation: inside a transparent stripes on either side
cocoon
Management

Hand pick and destroy the caterpillars

Light trap @1/ha

Insecticides: Endosulfan 35EC @ 1400ml/ha or

malathion 50EC @ 1000 ml/ ha

Mustard sawfly: Athalia lugens proxima
Tenthredinidae: Hymenoptera
Distribution
All over India *Pupal – aestivation
Host range 4-6 instars
All Cruciferous crops

Biology
Egg period: 3-6 days
12-131 eggs/ female
Eggs laid singly – lower surface of leaves
Adult:
Larva: cylindrical and
Dark head and thorax, greenish – grey in colour,
orange coloured caterpillar like with
abdomen and wrinkled body
translucent smoky Pupal: 10-20 days Larva: 8-10 pairs of
wings with black veins prolegs without crochets
Pupation: in soil in clusters
Management
Hand- pick and destroy the larvae

Insecticides:Quinalphos 25EC @ 1000ml/ ha or

Endosulfan 35 EC@ 1400 ml/ ha
Radish flea beetle: Phyllotreta cruciferae
Chaetocnema basalis
Alticidae: Coleoptera

Distribution
Europe, North and South America, Japan and India

Host range
Brinjal, Cabbage, Cereals, Mustard, Radish, Turnip, Cotton
Cauliflowers and Knol khol
Biology of P. cruciferae Egg period: 5-10 days
50- 80 eggs/ female
Adult: Eggs laid in soil
Mettalic bluish green in Grub: 9-15 days
colour

Pupal: 10-18 days

Pupation: Soil
 Management

Insecticides: Endosulfan 35 EC@ 1400 ml/ ha or malathion

50 EC 1000 ml/ ha
SAP FEEDERS
Management
Yellow sticky traps @ 12/ha
Encourage activity of natural enemies
Predators: Coccinella septumpunctata
Syrphus balteatus
Chrysoperla carnea
Parasitoid: Diaertiella rapae
Pathogens: Entomopthora coronata
Cephalosporium aphidicola
Insecticides
Dimethoate 30 EC @ 500 ml/ha or methyl demeton 25
EC @ 500 ml/ha or neem oil 15 lit/ ha
OTHER PESTS

Cut worms: Agrotis ipsilon, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

A. segetum, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Leaf caterpillar: Spodoptera litura, Noctuidae, Lepidoptera

Pea leaf miner: Phytomyza horticola, Agromyzidae: Diptera

Painted bug: Bagrada hilaris, Pentatomidae: Hemiptera

Green peach aphid: Myzus persicae, Aphididae: Hemiptera

Thrips: Thrips tabaci, Thripidae: Thysanoptera

Caliothrips indicus, Thripidae: Thysanoptera

Ex.No.13. PESTS OF CUCURBITACEOUS
VEGETABLES
Insect Pests of Cucurbits
2. Fruit fly: Bactrocera (=Dacus) cucurbitae Coq. (Tephritidae: Diptera)

• Adult fly is bigger than housefly

and characterized by its conical
abdomen and brown markings on
the membranous wings.
• The female fly thrusts the white
elongate eggs into flowers and
tender fruits. Adult Pupa
• Whitish maggots feed on the pulp
and seeds inside resulting in the
premature fall of the fruits.
• Affected fruits may become soft
and rotten.
• The maggots pupate in the soil.
• This insect attacks fruits of snake
gourd, bitter gourd, melons and Maggots Eggs
cucumbers.
Melon fruit fly: Bactocera cucurbitae,
Tephritidae: Diptera
Distribution
East Africa, Northan Australia, Taiwan,
Japan, South China, South East Asia and India
Host range
Musk Melon, Melon, Bitter Gourd, and
Snake Gourd
Biology
Egg period: 1 day
1-26 eggs/ days/ female
Adult:
Reddish brown fly
with lemon yellow Maggot: 3-21 days
curved vertical Dirty white apodous
markings - thorax maggot
Pupal: 3-9days
Pupation: soil
Damage symptoms
Fruit fly, Bactrocera cucrbitae
(Tephritidae: Diptera)
➢ Hosts : cucurbits, gourds melons etc.
➢ A: small, transparent wings with dark
bands
Biology:Female inserts white, elongate
eggs into the developing fruits.
➢ IP- 3-4 days
➢ M: white, apodous and fed on the pulp
➢ LP- 1-15 days
➢ Grown up maggots comes out of the
fruit and pupate in soil
Nature of Damage:

Symptom of damage:
➢Affected fruit decay and drop
down
➢Shape of the fruit is deformed
 Adults

Female of B. cucurbitae
Male of B. cucurbitae
Biology of fruit fly, B. cucurbitae on cucumber
Stage Range Mean ± SD
Egg (Incubation period) (hours)** 24.40 – 38.00 30.86 ± 4.75
Larval duration (Days)**
1st instar 0.50 - 1.50 0.60 ± 0.20
2nd instar 1.00 - 2.50 1.61 ± 0.33
3rd instar 1.50 - 3.00 2.39 ± 0.32
Total maggot period (Days)** 3.00 - 7.00 4.61 ± 0.81
Prepupal period (Days)** 0.50 - 1.00 0.65 ± 0.17
Pupal period (Days)** 5.00 - 9.00 7.02 ± 0.83
Mating period (Hours)** 2.00 - 6.00 4.15 ± 1.64
Pre-ovipositional period (Days)* 10.00 - 20.00 15.76 ± 2.06
Ovipositional period (Days)* 11.0 - 44.0 30.88 ± 8.93
Fecundity (No. of eggs/female)** 90.0 - 205 142.28 ± 78.15
Adult longevity (Days)*
Male (With food) 12.0 - 50.0 40.82 ± 8.93
Female (With food) 27.0 - 60.0 40.92 ± 11.35
Male (Neither food nor water) 0.50 - 1.00 0.72 ± 0.15
Female (Neither food nor water) 1.00 - 1.50 1.20 ± 0.30
Male (Water only) 2.00 - 3.50 2.80 ± 0.60
Female (Water only) 3.00 - 4.50 3.40 ± 2.10
Male (Water + Honey) 20.0 - 25.0 25.80 ± 2.40
Female (Water + Honey) 33.0 - 35.0 34.20 ± 2.50
Doom trap
 Management

Grow resistant varieties: Arka – tinda ( round gourd); Arka-

saryamakhia (pumpkin)
Change the sowing dates as the fly population is low in hot dry
conditions and its peak during rainy season
Ribbed/ Ridge gourd as trap crop & spray malathion 50
EC 2 ml/ lit of water on congregating adult flies- undersurface of
leaves
Use attractants – citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, vinegar oil
(acetic acid), destrose and lactic acid & kill adults
Collect and destroy all fallen and damaged fruits
Rake up soil under vines or plough infested field to destroy
puparia and malathion 5 % @ 25 kg/ha on soil
Polythene sachet
methyl eugenol lure trap @ 25/ ha or
 Prepare methyl eugenol and malathion 50 EC mixture @ 1:1
and take 10 ml/ polythene bag with six holes and place 12
traps/ ha
or
Keep 5 g wet fish meal in a polythene bag with six holes and
add 0.1 of dichlorvos – 12 traps/ha

Use bait spray: molasses or jaggery 10 g/lit + fenthion 100 EC

1ml/ lit or malathion 50 EC 2ml/lit or dimethoate 30 EC 1ml/lit,
two rounds at fortnight interval before ripening of the fruits

Spray neem oil 2% on fruits to prevent the oviposition by adult

flies

Neem seed kernel extract 5% on fruits to deter the flies

against egg laying
➢Traps (10-15/ac) with cue lure ( A
synthetic kairamone eliciting attraction of
fruitfiles and used as Male
annihilation(Destroying))as food lure and
0.1% malathion (1ml + 2ml per liter of
water) to attract adults and kill.

➢Spray malathion @ 1.0 ml/l OR

quinolphos @ 1.0 ml/l with 0.1% jaggery
as phagostimulant
uation of insecticides against fruit fly (B. cucurbitae) under field conditio

Dosage Per cent fruit damage

Sl. No. Treatments*
(g a.i./ ha) DBS 5 DAS 10 DAS 15 DAS
FIRST SPRAY
1. Imidacloprid 17.8 SL 53.40 30.00 18.67 12.67 10.33
(33.20) a (24.26)abc (20.14) ab (18.45) a
2. Spinosad 45 SC 54.00 25.30 14.00 11.00 9.00
(30.19) a (21.70) ab (19.36) ab (17.44) a
3. Diafenthiuron 50 WP 250 39.00 19.33 45.33 43.00
(38.60) a (24.07) abc (42.30) abc (40.95) b
4. Commercial neem 7.50 37.30 11.33 9.00 7.33
product (Nimbex) 0.15% (37.66) a (19.37) a (17.44) a (15.66) a
5. Emamectin benzoate 5 12.50 32.30 32.67 49.67 46.33
SG (34.64) a (34.61) bcd (44.81) bc (42.88) b
6. Indoxacarb 14.5 SC 43.50 33.70 35.67 48.67 45.67
(35.37) a (36.14) cd (44.23) bc (42.44) b
7. Acephate 75 SP 375 38.70 12.00 9.67 8.00
(38.44) a (20.09) a (18.08) a (16.35) a
8. Jaggery alone - 38.30 44.67 53.00 52.00
(38.23) a (41.92) d (46.74) c (46.17) b
9. Untreated check - 34.70 48.67 52.33 54.33
(36.05) a (44.23) d (46.35) c (47.50) b
S. Em.± 24.65 4.28 7.88 4.03
Management

Grow resistant varieties: Arka – tinda ( round gourd); Arka-saryamakhia

(pumpkin)
Change the sowing dates as the fly population is low in hot dry conditions and its
peak during rainy season
Ribbed gourd as trap crop – malathion 50 EC 2 ml/ lit of water on congregating
adult flies- undersurface of leaves
Use attractants – citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, vinegar oil (acetic acid), destrose
and lactic acid
Collect and destroy all fallen and damaged fruits
Rake up soil under vines or plough infested field to destroy puparia and
endosulfan 4% @ 25 kg/ha on soil
Polythene sachet methyl eugenol lure trap @ 25/ ha or
 Prepare methyl eugenol and malathion 50 EC mixture @ 1:1 and take 10 ml/
polythene bag with six holes and place 12 traps/ ha or
Keep 5 g wet fish meal in a polythene bag with six holes and add 0.1 of
dichlorvos – 12 traps/ha
Use bait spray: molasses or jaggery 10 g/lit + fenthion 100 EC 1ml/ lit or
malathion 50 EC 2ml/lit or dimethoate 30 EC 1ml/lit, tow rounds at fortnight
interval before ripening of the fruits
Spray neem oil 2% to prevent the oviposition by adult flies
Neem seed kernel extract 5% to deter the flies against egg laying
Do not use DDT, Lindane, 1.3% dust, copper fungicides and sulphur dusts -
phytotoxic
Pumpkin beetles, Raphidopalpa
foveicollis, Aulacophora intermedia and
A. cincta (Galarucidae: Coleoptera)
Rophiodpalpa foveicollis: Commonly
called red pumpkin beetles. Reddish
brown in colour
Aulacophora intermedia: Small, bluish
black beetles
A. cincta: medium, yellowish with black
border
Attacks gourds, pumpkins, cucrbits etc.
Adults lay eggs in soil.
• A& G : damaging stages
• A: bite holes on leaves
&flowers
• G: feed on the roots under
the soil
• Infested plants show poor
fruit setting, wilting and sickly
appearance
Management
• Spray malathion @ 1.0 ml/l
OR
• quinolphos @ 1.0 ml/l OR
• Carbaryl @ 4g/l
Fruit borer, Diaphania
indica (Pyralidae:
Lepidoptera)
• Potential pest on cucurbits
• Adult is medium, slender
moth, whitish wings with
brown border
• Larvae : greenish and bore
into the fruits and feed on
pulp
• Pupation in the soil
• Affected fruits decay and
unfit for consumption
Green semilooper, Thysanoplusia orichalsia
(Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
• Polyphagous, attacks cruciferous and
solanasious crops
• Moth medium size, with triangular golden
patch on FW, HW grey
• Larva green with white longitudinal stripes
dorsally and semilooper.
• Larvae cause damage my defoliation, also
attack head
• Quinolphos 25 EC @ 2 ml/l to kill young
larvae
Serpentine leaf miner, Liriomyza trifolii
(Agromyzidae: Diptera)
• Adults are minute, orange to yellowish
• Maggots are yellow and apodous
• Larvae mine between the epidermal layers of
leaves in a characteristic serpentine like.
• Pupation takes place in soil.
• Drying and dropping of leaves due to infestation.
• Spray monocrotophos 36 SL @ 1.5 ml/l OR
• NSKE @ 4 %.
3. Semilooper: Thysanoplusia orichalcea F. (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

• It is a polyphagous pest. Adult

• Among the vegetables,
besides cucurbitaceous and
cruciferous, it also attacks
tomato and other solanum
species.
• The caterpillars are plump Eggs
and palish green.
• They cause damage by Larva
biting round holes into
cabbage leaves.
• On movement, they form
characteristic half loops.
• The adults are light pale
brown with a large golden
coloured patch on each Pupa
forewing.

Damage
Pumpkin semilooper: Trichoplusia ni
Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Distribution

All over India

Host range

Snake gourd

Biology

Egg period: 4 -5 days

White spherical eggs laid singly
–tender leaves
Adult:
Larva: 28 days
Brown moth with Green in colour with
shiny brown longitudinal white stripe,
forewings humped last abdominal
Pupal: 5-7 days segments
Pupation: inside leaf
fold
Management

Collect and destroy the caterpillars

Encourage activity of Apanteles taragamae
A. plusiae
Insecticides: Malathion 50EC @ 500 ml/ ha or
dimethoate 30 EC @ 500ml/ha or methyl demeton 25
EC @ 500ml/ha
1. Pumpkin beetles: Raphidopalpa foveicollis (Lucas), Aulacophora intermedia
Jacoby., A. cincta Fabr. (Galerucidae: Coleoptera)

• In R. foveicollis the elytra are reddish

brown, while in A. intermedia they are
bluish black in colour.
• In A. cincta the elytra is yellow in
colour with black border.

A. cincta

Raphidopalpa foveicollis Aulacophora intermedia

• These beetles bite holes on leaves and also feed on flowers.

• The eggs are laid in the soil.

• The grubs are white and feed on the roots resulting in the retardation of
growth.
Pumpking beetle: Aulacophora foveicollis
A.cincta, A. intermedia
Galerucidae: Coleoptera

Distribution

India, Asia, Australia, Africa and Southern Europe

Host range *Adult

Pumpkin, Ash gourd, Melon and Cucumber hibernation

Biology Egg period:6-15 days

300 eggs/female
Eggs laid singly or groups in soil
Adult:
A.foveicollis – red Grub: 13-25 days
coloured beetle
A.cincta- grey
coloured beetle Pupal: 7-17 days
A. Intermedia – Pupation: soil
blue coloured
beetle
 Management

Deep plough the cucurbits fields just after harvesting to

minimize the beetles

Collect and destroy adult beetles

Sow cucumber in April – May to escape from the pest attack

Carbofuran 3 G @ 50 kg /ha at sowing, vining and flowering

stages

Dust: Endosulfan 4% D @ 25kg/ha

Malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml or dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml and

methyl demeton 25 EC@ 500 ml/ ha
 Pumpkin caterpillar: Diaphania indica
Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

Distribution

All over India

Host range
Cucurbitaceous plants

Biology

Egg period: 3-6 days

Eggs laid singly or in groups –lower surface of
leaves
Adult:
Whitish wings Larval: 9-14 days
with broad and Bright green with a pair of
dark marginal white mid dorsal lines
patches Pupal: 5-13 days
Pupation: inside a cocoon among the
leaves
Management

Collect and destroy early stage caterpillars

Encourage activity of parasioid: Apanteles spp.

Malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml or dimethoate 30

Insecticides:
EC 500 ml and methyl demeton 25 EC@ 500 ml/ ha
 Other pests
Snake gourd stem weevil: Baris trichosanthis, Curculionidae:
Coleoptera
Bitter gourd stem gall fly: Neolasioptera falcata, Cecidomyiidae:
Diptera
Leaf miner: Liriomyza trifolii, Agromyzidae: Diptera
Spotted leaf beetles: Epilachna dodecastimga, Coccinellidae,
Coleoptera
E. vigintioctopunctata,
Snake gourd stem boring beetle: Apomecyna saltator,
Cerambycidae:
Coleoptera
Blister beetle: Mylabris pustulata, Meloidae: Coleoptera
Aphid: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae: Hemiptera
Stink bug: Cordius janus, Pentatomidae: Hemiptera
Leaf footed bug: Fabrictilis australis, Coreidae: Hemiptera
Mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera
PESTS OF CUCURBITACEOUS
VEGETABLES
BORERS
Melon fruit fly: Bactocera cucurbitae,
Tephritidae: Diptera
Distribution
East Africa, Northan Australia, Taiwan,
Japan, South China, South East Asia and India
Host range
Musk Melon, Melon, Bitter Gourd, and
Snake Gourd
Biology Egg period: 1 day
1-26 eggs/ days/ female
Adult:
Reddish brown fly
with lemon yellow Maggot: 3-21 days
curved vertical Dirty white apodous
markings - thorax maggot
Pupal: 3-9days
Pupation: soil
Management
Grow resistant varieties: Arka – tinda ( round
gourd); Arka-saryamakhia (pumpkin)
Change the sowing dates as the fly population
is low in hot dry conditions and its peak during
rainy season
Ribbed gourd as trap crop – malathion 50 EC
2 ml/ lit of water on congregating adult flies-
undersurface of leaves
Use attractants – citronella oil, eucalyptus oil,
vinegar oil (acetic acid), destrose and lactic acid
Collect and destroy all fallen and damaged
fruits
Rake up soil under vines or plough infested
field to destroy puparia and endosulfan 4% @
 Prepare methyl eugenol and malathion 50
EC mixture @ 1:1 and take 10 ml/ polythene
bag with six holes and place 12 traps/ ha or
Keep 5 g wet fish meal in a polythene bag
with six holes and add 0.1 of dichlorvos – 12
traps/ha
Use bait spray: molasses or jaggery 10 g/lit
+ fenthion 100 EC 1ml/ lit or malathion 50 EC
2ml/lit or dimethoate 30 EC 1ml/lit, tow
rounds at fortnight interval before ripening of
the fruits
Spray neem oil 2% to prevent the oviposition
by adult flies
Neem seed kernel extract 5% to deter the
flies against egg laying
Do not use DDT, Lindane, 1.3% dust, copper
Stem borer or clear winged moth: Melittia
eurytion
Distribution Aegeriidae:
Lepidoptera
All over India

Host range
Snake gourd

Biology
Egg period:
Eggs laid – lower surface of
Adult: leaves
Larval:
Clear winged with White in colour
fan – like tufts of
hairs on legs Pupal: 20-24 days
Pupation: earthen cocoon in the
soil
Management

Collect and destroy the damaged plant

parts with
larvae
Encourage activity of parasitoid:
Apanteles spp.
Insecticides: Malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml or
dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml and methyl demeton 25
EC@ 500 ml/ ha
LEAF FEEDERS
Pumpkin semilooper: Plusia signata, P. peponis
Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Distribution
All over India

Host range
Snake gourd

Biology
Egg period: 4 -5 days
White spherical eggs laid singly
–tender leaves
Adult:
Larva: 28 days
Brown moth with Green in colour with
shiny brown longitudinal white stripe,
forewings humped last abdominal
Pupal: 5-7 days segments
Pupation: inside leaf
fold
Management
Collect and destroy the caterpillars
Encourage activity of Apanteles taragamae
A. plusiae
Insecticides: Malathion 50EC @ 500 ml/ ha
or
dimethoate 30 EC @ 500ml/ha or methyl
demeton 25
EC @ 500ml/ha
Pumpking beetle: Aulacophora foveicollis
A.cincta, A. intermedia
Galerucidae: Coleoptera

Distribution
India, Asia, Australia, Africa and Southern Europe

Host range *Adult

hibernation
Pumpkin, Ash gourd, Melon and Cucumber
Egg period:6-15 days
Biology 300 eggs/female
Eggs laid singly or groups in soil
Adult:
A.foveicollis – red Grub: 13-25 days
coloured beetle
A.cincta- grey
coloured beetle Pupal: 7-17 days
A. Intermedia – Pupation: soil
blue coloured
beetle
 Management

Deep plough the cucurbits fields just after harvesting to

minimize the beetles

Collect and destroy adult beetles

Sow cucumber in April – May to escape from the pest attack

Carbofuran 3 G @ 50 kg /ha at sowing, vining and flowering

stages

Dust: Endosulfan 4% D @ 25kg/ha

Malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml or dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml and

methyl demeton 25 EC@ 500 ml/ ha
 Pumpkin caterpillar: Diaphania indica
Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

Distribution
All over India

Host range
Cucurbitaceous plants
Biology
Egg period: 3-6 days
Eggs laid singly or in groups –lower surface of
leaves
Adult:
Whitish wings Larval: 9-14 days
with broad and Bright green with a pair of
dark marginal white mid dorsal lines
patches Pupal: 5-13 days
Pupation: inside a cocoon among the
leaves
Management
Collect and destroy early stage caterpillars
Encourage activity of parasioid: Apanteles
spp.
Insecticides: Malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml or
dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml and methyl demeton 25
EC@ 500 ml/ ha
Bottle gourd plume moth: Sphenarches caffer
Pterophoridae:Lepidoptera

Distribution
India, South and East Africa, Japan, Indonesia and
Philippines

Host range
Bottle gourd
Biology
Egg period:
Eggs laid singly – buds and leaves

Adult: Larval:
Tiny plume moth Yellowish green with
spines all over body
Pupal:
Greenish – brown pupa
Management

Collect and destroy larvae and pupae

Insecticides: Malathion 50 EC @ 500 ml or
dimethoate 30 EC 500 ml and methyl demeton 25
EC@ 500 ml/ ha
Other pests

Snake gourd stem weevil: Baris trichosanthis,

Curculionidae: Coleoptera
Bitter gourd stem gall fly: Neolasioptera falcata,
Cecidomyiidae: Diptera
Leaf miner: Liriomyza trifolii, Agromyzidae: Diptera
Spotted leaf beetles: Epilachna dodecastimga,
Coccinellidae, Coleoptera
E. vigintioctopunctata,
Snake gourd stem boring beetle: Apomecyna saltator,
Cerambycidae:

Coleoptera
Blister beetle: Mylabris pustulata, Meloidae: Coleoptera
Aphid: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae: Hemiptera
Stink bug: Cordius janus, Pentatomidae: Hemiptera
 Aphids
Mites
Leaf miner
Thrips
Insect pests of drumstick,
green leafy vegetables,
French bean and gherkins
DRUMSTICK
Moringa oleifera or (Moringa pterygosperma)

➢An important popular vegetable, very much use in S. India

➢Fruits must be used before they get fibrous.

➢Flower and leaves are also used as vegetables.

➢Contain better nutrients with not A & C carotene, iron

phosphorus and lime content is more.

➢All parts of the tree are useful, as medicine for arthritis,

snake bite, heart trouble and blood pressure .

➢Leaves used for curing wound

Varieties :
Dhanraj (Selection 6/4), P.K.M-
1, GKVK-1, GKVK-2, GKVK
3-1.

The major pest;

Pod fly, bark eating
caterpillar , stem borer ,
flower feeder, leaf eating
caterpillar, hairy
caterpillar, aphids, scale
etc
Pod fly:
Gitona distigma (Drosophillidae:Diptera)

 It is a serious pest of moringa in South

India.

 Activity is maximum from april to october

and declines thereafter.

 Adult: small Yellowish fly with red eyes,

wings extended beyond body and have
dark spot near the costal margin.
 Egg: Cigar shaped, laid in groups on the grooves of tender
pods.

 Maggot: Cream coloured maggot

 pupation takes place in soil.

Damage Symptoms :
 Hatching maggots enter tender fruits by making small
bored holes at the terminal end this causes , oozing of
gummy exudate from fruit:
 Drying and splitting of fruits from tip.
Management
 Collect and destroy all the fallen and damaged
fruits
 Use attractants like citronella oil, eucalyptus
oil, vinegar (Acetic acid), dextrose or lactic
acid
 Rake up the soil under the trees or plough the
infested field to destroy pupa.
 After apply endosulfan 4% D @ 25 kg/ha
 Spray insecticides like Nimbecidine 3ml/lit
during 50 % fruit set and 35 days later.
Bark eating caterpillar:
Indarbela tetraonis: (Inderbellidae: lepidoptera)

 Adult: Medium in size, Pale

brown moth.
Forewings -having brown spots
and streaks & Hind wings -white
in colour.

 Egg: are laid in cracks/ trunk/ in

main branch of the tree.

 Larva: long, stout and dirty brown

in colour.

 Pupa: in the burrows of the trunk.

Symptoms of damage
 Hatching caterpillar feed
superficially below the bark and
making Zigzag galleries and silken
webbed masses comprising of
chewed material and excreta of
larva.

Management
➢Clean all webbed material and excreta.
➢Plug the holes with cotton wool soaked in fumigants like,
3-4 ml of chlorophyriphos , chloroform, formalin or petrol
and seal it with mud.
Bud worm :Noorda moringae (Crambidae: Lepidoptera)

 It is an important pest of moringa . Activity is more

during summer months in south india.
 Adult is small in size with dark brown fore wings and
hind wing white with brown border
 Eggs: Creamy oval eggs laid singly on flower buds.
 Larva: Dirty brown with a prominent mid dorsal stripe,
black head and prothoracic shield
 Pupa: Pupation takes place in earthen cocoon in the
soil.
Symptoms of damage
 Larva bores into flower buds and
feed on tender tissues.

 Generally, infested buds contain

only one caterpillar.
 Damaged buds seldom blossom;
these fall down prematurely and
full-fed caterpillars come out or
pupate in minute brownish
cocoons, either in soil or on
ground itself, below dried leaves
and debris.
Management:
 Ploughing around trees to expose and kill
pupae
 Collect and destroy damaged buds along
with caterpillars
 Use light traps to attract and kill adults
 Spray carboryl 0.5% or malathion 0.1% or
endosulfan 0.7%
 Small greenish caterpillars: Noorda blitealis
(Pyraustidae : Lepidoptera)
 Egg: creamy white oval and laid in
clusters on leaves.

 Larva: Devoid of prothoracic shield

 Adult: Similar to N.moringae but

bigger in size.
 Fore wings are uniformly dark in
colour with a small white streak at
inner area of base.
 Hind wings are hyaline with broad
black marginal band towards anal
side.
Symptoms:
caterpillars feed on leaf lamina, turning them
into transparent parchment like structures and
pupate in soil.

Management
 Plough around trees to expose and kill pupae
 Collect and destroy damaged buds along with
caterpillar
 Set up light trap @ 1/ha
 Spray insecticides like Carbaryl 50 WP@ 1gm/
lit or malathion 50 EC 2 ml/ lit of water.
 Hairy caterpillar: Eupterote mollifera
(Eupterotidae: Lepidoptera)
 It is the most destructive and
specific pest of drumstick trees in
south india.

 Adult - large size moth with

uniform light yellowish brown in
colour

 Eggs laid in clusters on leaves

and tender stem

 Larva: Brownish in colour with

densely hairy.
 Pupation takes place in soil
Symptoms of damage
 Larva seen in groups in
tree trunks

 Feed gregariously,
Scraping the bark and
gnawing foliage

 Severe infestation leads

to defoliation of the tree
Management
 Collect and destroy egg masses and
caterpillars
 Set up light trap @ 1 / ha to attract and kill
adults immediately after rain
 Use burning torch to kill congregating
larvae on the trunk
 Spray FORS @ 25g/lit or endosulfan 35
EC @ 2ml/ lit or carbaryl 50 WP @ 2g/lit
Longicorn beetles :Batocera rubus (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera)
 It is widely distributed all over the
indian sub- continent.

 Eggs are laid singly in cracks or

crevices in the bark of the tree.

 Grubs are stout, about 100 mm long,

yellowish in colour with well-defined
segmentation.

 Adults are medium- sized beetles and

yellowish – brown white spots on
elytra.
Batocera rubus albofasciata Batocera rubus palawana Batocera rubus rubus
(Indonesia) - Cerambycidae - Cerambycidae (Laos) - Cerambycidae
Symptoms:
 On hatching, grubs bore wood and causes death of
branch or stem.
 Pupation takes place within these tunnels.
 Adults come out and feed on the bark of young twigs
and petioles.

Management:
 Clean affected portion of tree by removing all webbed
material, excreta etc.
 Insert in each hole, cotton- wool soaked in
monocrotophos or any good fumigant like carbon
bisulphide, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform or even
petrol and seal treated hole with mud.
 Black hairy caterpillars/Woolly bear
Pericallia ricini (Arctiidae : Lepidoptera)

 Is a black wooly bear, grows to finger size, gather on

big branches during the day and hide below soil clods
or boulders and become active at night.

 Hairs are irritating.

 They enter houses and other protected places for

pupation, when trees are grown in compounds.

 Adult is grey with dark spots on pinkish hind wings.

Symptoms:
caterpillars feed on leaf lamina, turning them into transparent parchment like
structures and pupate in soil.
Management
➢Plough around trees to expose and kill pupae
➢Collect and destroy damaged buds along with caterpillar
➢Set up light trap @ 1/ha
➢Spray insecticides like Carbaryl 50 WP@ 1gm/ lit or malathion 50 EC 2 ml/ lit of
water.
Stem borer:
Coptops aedificator
(Cerambicidae : Coleoptera)

 Is a longicorn beetle seen

on the stem occasionally.

 Grubs is whitish, bores

into stem and kills it.
Distribution:
Seychelles, Mauritius, Ceylon, India, Andaman.
Introduced in China (Taiwan) and Hawaii
Whitish grubs bore into the stems; the
affected stems are killed

Remove and destroy the affected parts

Management:

 At flowering time, spray 1 ml monocrotophos 36 SC

in/lit of water.

Plant protection measures:

 In June-July; January-February when new growth is

seen spray 2 ml malathion/lt. of water.

 When starts flowering spray 1 ml mono + 3 gm N.

sulphur /1g water to control sucking pests and
powdery mildew.
 Flower feeder

Bud worm: Noorda moringae,

Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 3 - 4 days
248 eggs/ female
Creamy oval eggs laid singly - buds
Adult: Larval: 8-15 days
Dirty brown with a prominent mid
Small moth with dark dorsal stripe and black head
brown forewings

Pupal: 6-10 days

Pupation: earthen cocoon in the soil
Management

Plough around trees to expose and kill pupae

Collect and destroy damaged buds along with caterpillar
Light trap @ 1/ha
Insecticides: Carbaryl 50 WP@ 1gm/ lit or malathion 50
EC/ha 2 ml/ lit of water
 Leaf feeders
Leaf caterpillar: Noorda blitealis,
Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 3 days
32 creamy white oval eggs/ female
Eggs laid in clusters - leaves
Adult:
Larva: 7-15 days
Similar to N.moringae but Devoid of prothoracic shield and a
bigger in size brown head

Pupal: 6-9 days

Pupation: silken cocoon in the soil
 Hairy caterpillar: Eupterote molifera
Eupterotidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 6 days
Eggs laid in clusters – leaves and tender stem
Adult:
Large size moth with Larval: 12-14 days
uniform light yellowish Brownish in colour and
brown colour densely hairy
Pupal: 8-10days
Pupation: soil
Management

Collect and destroy egg masses and caterpillars

Light trap @ 1 / ha to attract and kill adults immediately
after rain
Use burning torch to kill congregating larvae on the trunk
Fish oil rosin soap to kill the larvae because of
asphyxiation
Insecticides: Endosulfan 35 EC @ 2ml/ lit or carbaryl 50 WP @ 2g/lit or malathion
50 EC @ 2 ml/ lit of water
Borer
Pod fly: Gitona distigma
Drosophilidae:Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 3-4 days
Cigar shaped eggs
Eggs laid in groups on the grooves of tender
pods
Adult:
Maggot: 18-25 days
Yellowish fly with red
Cream coloured maggot
eyes
Pupal: 5-9 days
Pupation: soil
Management

Collect and destroy all the fallen and damaged fruits

Attractants: citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, vinegar
(Acetic acid), dextrose or lactic acid
Rake up the soil under the trees or plough the infested
field to destroy puparia and apply endosulfan 4% D @
25 kg/ha
Insecticides: Nimbecidine 3ml/lit during 50 % fruit set and 35 days later
Other pests
Bud midge: Stictodiplosis moringae, Cecidomyiidae: Diptera

Hairy caterpillars: Pericallia ricini, Arctiidae: Lepidoptera

Taragama siva, Lasiocampidae:Lepidoptera

Leaf weevil: Myllocerus spp., Curculionidae: Coleoptera

Aphid: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae, Hemiptera
Scales: Ceroplastodes cajani, Diaspidae: Hemiptera

Bark caterpillar: Indarbela tetraonis, Metarbelidae: Lepidoptera

Stem borer: Batocera rubus, Cerambycidae:Coleoptera

Pests of leafy vegetables
Introduction
 Leafy green vegetables are popular around
the world and especially in Asia.
 They are quickgrowing crops that are harvested
within four to six weeks.
 Some of the common leafy vegetables are
drumstick ,brassicas , curry leaf, lettuce, spinach, and
amaranthus.
 These vegetables are valuable sources of vitamins
A,C, iron, calcium, folic acid, and dietary fiber.
Amaranthus
 Crop: Amaranthus
 S.N: Amaranthus hybridu
 Family: Amaranthaceae

 The major pest;

 Stem weevil, cut worm leaf
webber etc.
 E. AMARANTHUS
1. Leaf caterpillar: Hymenia recurvalis (Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera)
• Small black coloured moth with slender body.

• Wing is dark brown in

colour with broad
white lines in the
middle and outer
margins with fringes
of hairs.
• Larva – Greenish with
white lines.

• Scraping of epidermal layer, webbing of leaves with silken threads and drying up of
webbed leaves.
 Amaranthus weevil: Hypolixus truncatulus
(Curculionidae: Colioptera)

 It is a specific pest of amaranthus and is widely distributed in

india and neighbourig countries.
 It attacks both wild and cultivated crops and leafy varieties
with large leaves.
Egg – smooth, oval, pale yellow in colour,
laid singly in stem

Grub - Stout, curved, legless and white in

colour.

Adult - colour with brown elytra and has

a very long ash grey in g snout
 Borer

Amaranthus weevil: Hypolixus truncatulus,

Curculionidae: Coleoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Amaranthus

Biology
Egg period: 4-12 days
Eggs laid singly in each hole

Adult:
Grub: 20-65 days
Ashy grey in colour with Stout, curved, legless and
a very long snout white in colour

Pupal: 9-24 days

Management

Collect and destroy wild amaranthus hosts in the vicinity of

cultivated crop
Collect and destroy affected plant parts along with grubs
and adults
Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 250 ml/ ha or endosulfan 35
EC @ 250 ml/ ha
Leaf feeder

Leaf caterpillar: Hymenia recurvalis,

Pyraustidae: Lepidoptea
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Amaranthus

Biology

Egg period: 3-4 days

Eggs laid singly - leaves
Adult:
Larval: 12-15 days
Black moth with white Greenish with lines and
wavy markings on wings black crescents on
Pupal: 4 - 6 days thorax below the lateral lines
Pupation: the web itself
Management

Collect and destroy affected plant parts with caterpillars

Light trap @ 1/ha
Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 250 ml/ ha or endosulfan 35 EC @ 250 ml/ ha
Other pests

Leaf webber: Eretmocera impactella, Heliodinidae: Lepidoptera

Psara basalis, Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

Leaf feeder: Spodoptera litura, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Tortoise beetle: Aspidomorpha exilis, Cassididae: Coleoptera

Twisting weevil: Apoderus tranquebaricus, Curculionidae, Coleoptera

Grasshopper: Atractomorpha crenulata, Acrididae: Orthoptera

Thrips: Haplothrips ceylonicus,Thripidae:Thysanoptera

Aphid: Aphis craccivora, Aphididae: Hemiptera

Mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera

Symptoms of damage

 Irregular zigzag tunnels in the pith region filled

with excreta.
 Gall like thickening and longitudinal splitting
of stem.
 Affected stem become weak and split
longitudinally.
 This results in excessive evaporation, plants
get desiccated and dry up completely.
 Attack causes stunting of plants, twisting and
swelling of branches and stems and suppression
of shoot and leaf production.
Management
 Collect and destroy wild amaranthus hosts in
the vicinity of cultivated crop
 Collect and destroy affected plant parts along
with grubs and adults
 Spray insecticides like malathion 50 EC 2 ml/
lit or endosulfan 35 EC @ 1ml/ lit or
dichlorvos 0.75 ml/lit before the harvest the
leaves and stems.
 Leaf caterpillar: Spoladea (=Hymenia )recurvalis
(Pyralidae: Lepidoptera)

 It is widely distributed in tropical

and subtropical regions including
Africa, Asia and Australia.
 In Indian sub-continent it is found
all the year round, but is more
active during warmer, rainy and
early winter months.
 It is also a major pest of grasslands
, pastures and also damages
beans, coleus, melons and spinach.
 Adult Small, black colored, moth with slender
body.
 Wings dark brown in color with white wavy
markings

 Larva: Greenish with white lines and black

crescents on thorax below the lateral lines
 Eggs- spherical in shape and
snow- white in colour and are
laid singly or in batches of 2-5,
in grooves of leaf veins.

Symptoms of damage
 Web the leaves with
silken threads and feed
within.
 Webbed leaves become devoid
of chlorophyll and dry up.
When full-fed, caterpillars
drop down and pupate in soil.
Management
 Collect and destroy affected plant parts with
caterpillars
 Set up light trap @ 1/ha to attract and kill the
adults
 Spray malathion 50 EC 1 ml/ lit or endosulfan
35 EC @ 1 ml/ lit or dichlorvos 0.75 ml/lit before
the harvest of leaves and stems.
Leaf webber: Psara basalis (Crambidae: Lepidoptera)
 Larva: Green in colour
 Adult: small moth with
yellowish white thorax
and abdomen
 Brownish red forewing
and dark brown hind
wing.
Symptoms of damage
 Webbing of leaves with silken
threads
 Management

➢Collect and destroy

affected plant parts with
caterpillars
➢Set up light trap @ 1/ha
to attract and kill the
adults
➢Spray malathion 50 EC
1 ml/ lit or endosulfan
35 EC @ 1 ml/ lit
 Leaf Webber: Lamprosema indicate
(Crambidae: Lepidoptera)

 Wings straw coloured with black spots here and there.

 Eggs are laid singly, round, bluish, white.

 Young caterpillar are gregarious, cater scatter and are

green with black head.

 The caterpillars webs the leaves and eats green matter

inside and holes are seen on the upper surface.
Laphygma exigna: (Noctuidae : Lepidoptera)

 Feed on leaves.
 Polyphagous, found throughout the year in the country.
 Small caterpillars feed on upper part of leaves.
 Grown up ones eat the leaves completely.
 Moths small, upper wings black with marks. Hind wings
pale white.
 Eggs laid in clusters on lower surface of leaves. Each cluster
will have 50-200 eggs.

 A female with can lay 250-500 eggs.

 Caterpillar in light yellow with black head.

 Grown caterpillars is apple green with long stripes, 52-85

mm long.
 Pupation in soil.
Tortoise beetles:
Aspidiomorpha miliaris, Metriona circumdata, Chiridia sexnotata
(Cassididae : Coleoptera)

 Beetles are found among dried leaves, debris

and below the bark.

 Resemble tortoise in shape, flat below

prothorax and sides of wings project beyond the
body and hide the legs.

 Eggs laid along the veins the lower surface and

covered with a black substance.
 Aspidiomorpha miliaris
 Grubs are peculiar; with spiny
processes around the body.

 Hind spine longer and is lifted up like

a tall.

 Also the cast skin and excreta are

borne on the body.

 Pupation on leaves.

 Both adults and grubs eat the leaves

and bite holes.
Metriona circumdata,
 Scale: Lecanium hespericum
(Coccidae: Hemiptera)

 They are seen on stems, black in colour.

 They suck the sap and results on stunted growth.

 Management:

 Spray the crop with 2ml malathion 50EC or 4 gm

carbaryl/lit of water.
Other pest like
 Tartois beetle (Asphidomorpha exilis) and

 Grosshopper (Atractomorpha crenulata) scrape the

outer tissue of the leaves.

 Aphids and mealy bug suck the sap from leaves.

CORIANDER (Coriendrum sativum)
 This spice crop is in popular use since ancient times.

 Used in most of the houses for several preparations.

 The powder from seeds is one of the ingredients of spices powder

(Masala powder)

 This plant contains ‘A’ vitamin.

 gives ‘strength and vigour and removes oral bad smell.

 The decoction is used in indigestion, cold and other diseases.

 The oil from the seeds is used in sweetmeats, coco
eatables, liquor and for agree able smell and taste.

 The oil is also useful as on insecticide.

 Var: DWD-3 (UASD variety)

 Yield: 5-7.50 Qtls seeds/ha.

 Aphids, Pentatomid bug and leaf eating caterpillars.

 Aphid : Hyadaphis coriandri,
Brevicoryne corianderi,
Hyaloptarus arundinis
(Aphididae : Homoptera)

 Peak infestation occurs in cooler months and prolonged

drought situations.

 Aphids are soft bodied, ovate dark yellow and possess a

pair of cornicles on 6th abdominal segment.

 Both winged and wingless forms of adults exist.

 Nymphs are reddish brown.

Hyadaphis coriandri
 N & A suck sap from terminal shoots and young leaves.

 As result the leaves and young shoots get deformed.

 Excretion of honeydew makes the foliage sticky.

Management:

 Chrysoperla and coccinellid predators keep it under check.

 If severe, spray dichlorvos.

 Harvesting of crop for foliage purpose should not be done

for at least one week.
Leaf eating caterpillars :
Laphygona exigua (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

 Commonly called onion caterpillars.

 They feed on leaves and buds.

 Polyphagous.

 Moths small, upper wings black, with marks.

 Hind wings pale white.

 Eggs laid in clusters on lower sides of leaves.

  Adult ♀ moth lays 250-500 eggs.

 Caterpillars in light yellow with black head.

 Grown up caterpillars apple green with long stripes, 52-85

mm long.

 Pupation in soil.

 b) Spodoptera litura

 c) Helicoverpa armigera

 They feed on leaves and tender buds.

Stink bug: Agonoscelis nubila
(Pentatomidae: Hemiptera)

 Attack flower heads and suck

the sap and the flowers shrivel
and fruits do not set.

Mites: Tetranychus Sp.

(Tetranychidae : Acarina)

 They are cosmopolitan and

suck the sap of leaves.
CURRY LEAF (Murraya Koenigi)

 The leaves of this small tree are indispensible in S. India,

for seasoning curry and other preparations.

 They contain ‘A’ vitamin in good proportion.

 It provides calcium also.

 So it is very commonly grown in gardens and in backyards

in cities.

 Used in preparation of aurvedic and unani medicines

 Var: Suvasini (Dharwad-1)

C. CURRY LEAF

1. Psyllid bug: Diaphorina citri (Psyllidae: Hemiptera)

Adults
• Adults are small, soft
bodied insects with
wings having pink
coloured veins.
• Nymphs are yellowish
in colour.
• Both adults and
nymphs congregate on
Nymph
tender shoots and Egg
leaves and suck the
sap.
• They also excrete
honeydew on the plant
surface.
2. Citrus butterfly: Papilio demoleus: (Papilionidae: Lepidoptera)

• Adult is dark brown swallow

tailed butterfly with
numerous pale yellow
markings.
• Early instar larva
resembles bird droppings.
• Grown up larva is Egg
Adult
cylindrical, stout and green
with brown lateral oblique
bands.
• Cause defoliation of tender
leaves. Larva
Pupa
Curryleaf roller: Psoroticha zizyphi

 Taxonomic position
 Insecta: Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Oecophoridae:
Depressariinae
 Common name
 Habitat / Crop(s) damaged
 Curryleaf, citrus, jamun, castor, wood apple, etc.
Curryleaf leaf roller:Psoroticha zizyphi
Tortoise beetle
 beetle
Damage symptoms

Pupa
Lemon butterflies: Papilio demoleus, P. polytes, P. helenus
(Papilionidae : Lepidoptera)

 Widely distributed, found throughout the year.

 Major pests of citrus but also attack other members of

Rutaceae.

 Adults of P. demoleus are beautifully patterned butterflies

having wings ornamented with yellow and black markings.

 Hind wings lack the tail like projection (Common among

members of papilionidae) having a brick red spot near lower
margin.

 P. Polytes males are black and females are in various forms.

 P. helenus wings are black with three diseal spots.
 Eggs are pale yellow, smooth, round, laid singly on
leaves.

 Young larvae are blackish – brown with white

markings and resemble birds’ excreta.

 Full grown caterpillars rich green, smooth velvety

with brown oblique bands on lateral abdominal
segments.

 Caterpillars feed voraciously on leaflets from

margins inwards. If severe, only midribs are seen.
Papilio demoleus
P. polytes

P. helenus
 Management:

 Hand collection of larvae in kitchen gardens is

possible.

 Large scale infestations may need either carbaryl or

monocrotophos.

 Harvesting should be avoided for at least 15 days

after spray.
Citrus psylla: Diaphorina citri (Psyllidae : Homoptera)

 Serious pest of curry leaf.

 Also attacks citrus spp and other members of rutaceae.

 Found throughout India.

 Occurs throughout the year except very hot summer months.

 Adults are brownish with pale brown wings, having a pale

broad stripe along the centre.

 Adults sit with their heads almost touching the plant surface
and rest of the body raised.
 Eggs orange almond shaped, laid inside young folded leaves or in
leaf axils.

 Nymphs are flattered, circular and yellowish-orange.

 N & A suck sap from tender plant parts, crowding on terminal

shoots, tender leaves and petioles.

 Also inject toxins into the plant as a result affected parts get
deformed curl and dry.
Management:

In nature, nymphs are predated by several coccinellids and

Chrysoperla spp.

If severe spray dimethoate or monocrotophos.

Mealy bugs: Planococcus citri
(Pseudococcidae : Homoptera)

 Widely distributed and attacks a large

no. of fruit trees.

 Thick growth of branches creates

ideal environment for mealy bugs.

 Adult females are slightly elongate-

ovate covered with white mealy wax
coating.

 Eggs are deposited in loose cottony

masses.
 N & A attack all parts of plant including leaves, tender
shoots and branches.

 They suck the sap as a result growth of the tree is arrested

and young branches dry.

 Excretion of honeydew attracts sooty molds.

Management:

 Control is difficult.

 Pruning of the affected branches followed by spraying with

dichlorvos may help.
Mites: Tetranychus cinnabarinus,
Schizotetranychus hindustanicus, Panonychus citri
(Tetranychidae : Acarina)

 Widely distributed throughout India.

 Citrus Spp are also attacked.

 Prolonged drought and hot weather are congenial.

 Mites are tiny orange or dark red with thick brown patches
on dorsum. Body is covered with prominent white bristles.

 Tiny microscopic eggs laid deep into leaf tissues along the
midrib, or other veins.
Tetranychus cinnabarinus Schizotetranychus hindustanicus

Panonychus citri
 Newly hatched larva is light yellowish of brown with initially 3 pairs of
legs, later becoming 4.

 N & A attack leaves, lacerate the tissues and feed on the exuding fluid.

 Small round whitish spots appear on leaves, which remain persistent

even in the absence of mites.

 Older leaves are more susceptible than younger ones.

Management:

 Frequent harvesting of leaves does not allow multiplication of mites.

 If severe, spray wettable sulphur.

Spinach: Spinacia oleracea
 Known as vilayati palak, kandiari, katna palak, chirwa palak.

 Var: Barerjee’s Giant, Banarasi or Katri palak

 Aphids:

 Leaf eating caterpillars

French Beans
 French Beans: (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Pod fly: Ophiomyia phaseoli

 Cause gall on stem at ground

level.

 Seedling are attacked and causes

great loss.
 Maggots yellowish bore into stem, seedlings turn yellow and fade
and bend down.

 Fly blue, wings transparent and black dot at front margin.

 Eggs thrust on leaves.

 Control: 5% NSKE.

Maggot inside the stem Pupa inside the stem

Etiella zincknella (Phycitidae : Lepidoptera)

 Small moth has a white streak on greyish brown fore wings

and pale hind wings.

 Eggs laid singly on tender pods.

 Caterpillar greenish with 5 black spots on prothorax.
Caterpillar bores into pods and
seeds.

Grownup larva becomes pinkish.

Pupation in earthen cocoons.

EP 10 days, LP 10-17 days, PP

9-72 days.
Mites: Tetranychus neocaledonicus (Tetranichidae : Acari)

 Transmits sterility mosaic virus.

 Colonies of mites seen on ventral leaf surface beneath silken

web.

Management:

 Spray wettable sulphur 0.2%.

Peas
GHERKINS
 GHERKINS (Cucumis anguria)
 A kind of cucumber

 Tender fruits used for pickles.

 Lot of demand from foreign countries.

 Grown for export purpose.

 Fruits of gherkins have higher vitamin A & C

than cucumber.

 Var: Forign Var like Calipro, Venlo pickling,

NCVH-32, NCVH-35, NCVH-41.
Red pumpkin beetle: Raphidopalpa
Aulacophora)foveicollis
(Galerucidae(Chrysomelidae) :
Coleoptera)

 Beetles slightly elongated and small;

elytra reddish brown in colour.

 Eggs deposited on soil at base of plants.

 Grub develops in soil feeding on roots

and plant parts touching the ground and
plant wilts if severe.

 Grubs dirty white with anal plate and

measures 1 cm in length when full
grown.
 Adults feed on leaves by causing holes on leaves

 pupation in soil.

 Control: Spray carbaryl or quinalphos or malathion

Cut worm: Agrotis ypsilon (Nocutidae : Lepidoptera)

 Caterpillars cut the tender stem at ground level
 Management:

 Drench endosulfan 2ml/l.

Fruit fly: Bactrocera cucurbitae (Tephritidae : Diptera)

 Fly slightly bigger than housefly with transparent wings.

 Male has rounded abdomen but ♀ has triangular abdomen

with a needle like ovipositor.

 Cigar shaped white eggs inserted into fruits in groups and

taper at both ends.
 Maggots (5-10 mm length) feed on pulp and portion
rots.

 Grown up maggots drop to ground and pupate in

soil which are brown and 5-8 mm long.

Management:

 At flowering spray 1 ml malathion 50 EC + 10 gm

sugar or Jaggery / lit of water.
Leaf miner: Liriomyza trifoli (Agromyzidae : Diptera)

 Adult tiny metallic fly with yellow patch

behind co. eye and transparent wings; 2-3 mm
size.

 Eggs inserted into leaf tissue.

 Maggots whitish which mine the leaves.

  Mines having serpent shape with small larvae are noticed
all over the leaves.

 The incidence starts 15 days after germination of seeds.

 Management:

 Spray 4% NSKE or neem formulations (2-5 ml/l) after

10-15 days of sowing.

 Repeat after 15 days if necessary.

PESTS OF LEAFY VEGETABLES
I. AMARANTHUS
 Borer

Amaranthus weevil: Hypolixus truncatulus,

Curculionidae: Coleoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Amaranthus

Biology
Egg period: 4-12 days
Eggs laid singly in each hole

Adult:
Grub: 20-65 days
Ashy grey in colour with Stout, curved, legless and
a very long snout white in colour

Pupal: 9-24 days

Management

Collect and destroy wild amaranthus hosts in the vicinity of

cultivated crop
Collect and destroy affected plant parts along with grubs
and adults
Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 250 ml/ ha or endosulfan 35
EC @ 250 ml/ ha
Leaf feeder

Leaf caterpillar: Hymenia recurvalis,

Pyraustidae: Lepidoptea
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Amaranthus

Biology

Egg period: 3-4 days

Eggs laid singly - leaves
Adult:
Larval: 12-15 days
Black moth with white Greenish with lines and
wavy markings on wings black crescents on
Pupal: 4 - 6 days thorax below the lateral lines
Pupation: the web itself
Management

Collect and destroy affected plant parts with caterpillars

Light trap @ 1/ha
Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 250 ml/ ha or endosulfan 35 EC @ 250 ml/ ha
Other pests

Leaf webber: Eretmocera impactella, Heliodinidae: Lepidoptera

Psara basalis, Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

Leaf feeder: Spodoptera litura, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Tortoise beetle: Aspidomorpha exilis, Cassididae: Coleoptera

Twisting weevil: Apoderus tranquebaricus, Curculionidae, Coleoptera

Grasshopper: Atractomorpha crenulata, Acrididae: Orthoptera

Thrips: Haplothrips ceylonicus,Thripidae:Thysanoptera

Aphid: Aphis craccivora, Aphididae: Hemiptera

Mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera

 Contd.,,

II. Pests of Moringa

 Flower feeder

Bud worm: Noorda moringae,

Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 3 - 4 days
248 eggs/ female
Creamy oval eggs laid singly - buds
Adult: Larval: 8-15 days
Dirty brown with a prominent mid
Small moth with dark
dorsal stripe and black head
brown forewings

Pupal: 6-10 days

Pupation: earthen cocoon in the soil
Management

Plough around trees to expose and kill pupae

Collect and destroy damaged buds along with caterpillar
Light trap @ 1/ha
Insecticides: Carbaryl 50 WP@ 1gm/ lit or malathion 50
EC/ha 2 ml/ lit of water
 Leaf feeders
Leaf caterpillar: Noorda blitealis,
Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 3 days
32 creamy white oval eggs/ female
Eggs laid in clusters - leaves
Adult:
Larva: 7-15 days
Similar to N.moringae but Devoid of prothoracic shield and a
bigger in size brown head

Pupal: 6-9 days

Pupation: silken cocoon in the soil
 Hairy caterpillar: Eupterote molifera
Eupterotidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 6 days
Eggs laid in clusters – leaves and tender stem
Adult:
Large size moth with Larval: 12-14 days
uniform light yellowish Brownish in colour and
brown colour densely hairy
Pupal: 8-10days
Pupation: soil
Management

Collect and destroy egg masses and caterpillars

Light trap @ 1 / ha to attract and kill adults immediately
after rain
Use burning torch to kill congregating larvae on the trunk
Fish oil rosin soap to kill the larvae because of
asphyxiation
Insecticides: Endosulfan 35 EC @ 2ml/ lit or carbaryl 50 WP @ 2g/lit or malathion
50 EC @ 2 ml/ lit of water
Borer
Pod fly: Gitona distigma
Drosophilidae:Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 3-4 days
Cigar shaped eggs
Eggs laid in groups on the grooves of tender
pods
Adult:
Maggot: 18-25 days
Yellowish fly with red
Cream coloured maggot
eyes
Pupal: 5-9 days
Pupation: soil
Management

Collect and destroy all the fallen and damaged fruits

Attractants: citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, vinegar
(Acetic acid), dextrose or lactic acid
Rake up the soil under the trees or plough the infested
field to destroy puparia and apply endosulfan 4% D @
25 kg/ha
Insecticides: Nimbecidine 3ml/lit during 50 % fruit set and 35 days later
Other pests
Bud midge: Stictodiplosis moringae, Cecidomyiidae: Diptera

Hairy caterpillars: Pericallia ricini, Arctiidae: Lepidoptera

Taragama siva, Lasiocampidae:Lepidoptera

Leaf weevil: Myllocerus spp., Curculionidae: Coleoptera

Aphid: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae, Hemiptera
Scales: Ceroplastodes cajani, Diaspidae: Hemiptera

Bark caterpillar: Indarbela tetraonis, Metarbelidae: Lepidoptera

Stem borer: Batocera rubus, Cerambycidae:Coleoptera

PESTS OF MUSHROOM
Sciarid fly: Bradysia tritici,
Sciaridae: Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Mushroom

Biology
Egg period: 7 days
110 eggs/ female, eggs laid in clusters,
Purple white, round to oval in shape
Adult:
Greyish black with thread like Maggot: 8 – 9 days
antennae Dirty white with black head
Adult longevity: 2-3 days
Pupal: 4 -5 days
TLC: 24-28 days
Pupa: black in colour
Phorid fly: Megaselia agarica
Phoridae: Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Mushroom

Biology

Egg period: 2 days

Whitish, elongated, cylindrical and slightly
Adult: curved
Maggot: 5 days
Dark brown in colour
Male longevity-2 days Dirty white in colour,
Female longevity- 3 days
Black mouth hook
TLC: 15 days Pupal: 7 days
Pupa: dark brown in colour with a pair of
respiratory horn on the thorax
Management

Put the spent compost and casing material in the manure pit and
cover them with 10 cm thick layer of manure – check fly breeding
Screening of doors and other inlets of the mushroom house – wire
nets of 14 – 16 mesh/cm
Drench the mushroom shed with malathion 50 EC or fenitrothion 50
EC @ 1 ml/ lit of water
Spray dichlorvos 76 EC @ 30 ml/ 100 m2 on window pans, walls
and ceilings of the mushroom house
 Spring tails: Seira iricolor, Lepidocyrtus cyaneus
Collembola

Distribution
All over India
Host range
Mushroom

Biology of S. iricolor

Adult longevity: 78 days

Egg period: 3 days
Ground colour with light violet band
Eggs laid singly or in clusters – along the sides of the body- dark and
moist paddy straw, compost and round scales all over the body
mushroom buttons
Management

Keep the floors of the mushroom house free from organic debris
Pasteurize mushroom houses and compost to kill the springtails
effectively
Raise mushroom crop above the floor
Disinfest the compost yard by spraying with malathion 50 EC @ 1 ml/
lit of water
Incorporate diazinon 20 EC in the compost (15ml of diazinon after
dilution in water in 100 kg of compost) at filling time
OTHER PESTS

Cecid fly: Heteropezina cathistes, Cecidomyiidae: Diptera

Staphylinid beetle: Staphylinus sp., Staphylinidae: Coleoptera

Cucujoid beetle: Cyllodes whiteii, Nitidulidae: Coleoptera

PESTS OF LEAFY VEGETABLES
I. AMARANTHUS
 Borer

Amaranthus weevil: Hypolixus truncatulus,

Curculionidae: Coleoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Amaranthus

Biology
Egg period: 4-12 days
Eggs laid singly in each hole

Adult:
Grub: 20-65 days
Ashy grey in colour with Stout, curved, legless and
a very long snout white in colour

Pupal: 9-24 days

Management

Collect and destroy wild amaranthus hosts in the vicinity of

cultivated crop
Collect and destroy affected plant parts along with grubs
and adults
Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 250 ml/ ha or endosulfan 35
EC @ 250 ml/ ha
Leaf feeder

Leaf caterpillar: Hymenia recurvalis,

Pyraustidae: Lepidoptea
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Amaranthus

Biology

Egg period: 3-4 days

Eggs laid singly - leaves
Adult:
Larval: 12-15 days
Black moth with white Greenish with lines and
wavy markings on wings black crescents on
Pupal: 4 - 6 days thorax below the lateral lines
Pupation: the web itself
Management

Collect and destroy affected plant parts with caterpillars

Light trap @ 1/ha
Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 250 ml/ ha or endosulfan 35 EC @ 250 ml/ ha
Other pests

Leaf webber: Eretmocera impactella, Heliodinidae: Lepidoptera

Psara basalis, Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

Leaf feeder: Spodoptera litura, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Tortoise beetle: Aspidomorpha exilis, Cassididae: Coleoptera

Twisting weevil: Apoderus tranquebaricus, Curculionidae, Coleoptera

Grasshopper: Atractomorpha crenulata, Acrididae: Orthoptera

Thrips: Haplothrips ceylonicus,Thripidae:Thysanoptera

Aphid: Aphis craccivora, Aphididae: Hemiptera

Mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera

 Contd.,,

II. Pests of Moringa

 Flower feeder

Bud worm: Noorda moringae,

Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 3 - 4 days
248 eggs/ female
Creamy oval eggs laid singly - buds
Adult: Larval: 8-15 days
Dirty brown with a prominent mid
Small moth with dark
dorsal stripe and black head
brown forewings

Pupal: 6-10 days

Pupation: earthen cocoon in the soil
Management

Plough around trees to expose and kill pupae

Collect and destroy damaged buds along with caterpillar
Light trap @ 1/ha
Insecticides: Carbaryl 50 WP@ 1gm/ lit or malathion 50
EC/ha 2 ml/ lit of water
Leaf feeders
Leaf caterpillar: Noorda blitealis,
Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 3 days
32 creamy white oval eggs/ female
Eggs laid in clusters - leaves
Adult:
Larva: 7-15 days
Similar to N.moringae but Devoid of prothoracic shield and a
bigger in size brown head

Pupal: 6-9 days

Pupation: silken cocoon in the soil
 Hairy caterpillar: Eupterote molifera
Eupterotidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 6 days
Eggs laid in clusters – leaves and tender stem
Adult:
Large size moth with Larval: 12-14 days
uniform light yellowish Brownish in colour and
brown colour densely hairy
Pupal: 8-10days
Pupation: soil
Management

Collect and destroy egg masses and caterpillars

Light trap @ 1 / ha to attract and kill adults immediately
after rain
Use burning torch to kill congregating larvae on the trunk
Fish oil rosin soap to kill the larvae because of
asphyxiation
Insecticides: Endosulfan 35 EC @ 2ml/ lit or carbaryl 50 WP @ 2g/lit or malathion
50 EC @ 2 ml/ lit of water
Borer
Pod fly: Gitona distigma
Drosophilidae:Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Moringa

Biology
Egg period: 3-4 days
Cigar shaped eggs
Eggs laid in groups on the grooves of tender
pods
Adult:
Maggot: 18-25 days
Yellowish fly with red
Cream coloured maggot
eyes
Pupal: 5-9 days
Pupation: soil
Management

Collect and destroy all the fallen and damaged fruits

Attractants: citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, vinegar
(Acetic acid), dextrose or lactic acid
Rake up the soil under the trees or plough the infested
field to destroy puparia and apply endosulfan 4% D @
25 kg/ha
Insecticides: Nimbecidine 3ml/lit during 50 % fruit set and 35 days later
Other pests
Bud midge: Stictodiplosis moringae, Cecidomyiidae: Diptera

Hairy caterpillars: Pericallia ricini, Arctiidae: Lepidoptera

Taragama siva, Lasiocampidae:Lepidoptera

Leaf weevil: Myllocerus spp., Curculionidae: Coleoptera

Aphid: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae, Hemiptera
Scales: Ceroplastodes cajani, Diaspidae: Hemiptera

Bark caterpillar: Indarbela tetraonis, Metarbelidae: Lepidoptera

Stem borer: Batocera rubus, Cerambycidae:Coleoptera

PESTS OF MUSHROOM
Sciarid fly: Bradysia tritici,
Sciaridae: Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Mushroom

Biology
Egg period: 7 days
110 eggs/ female, eggs laid in clusters,
Purple white, round to oval in shape
Adult:
Greyish black with thread like Maggot: 8 – 9 days
antennae Dirty white with black head
Adult longevity: 2-3 days
Pupal: 4 -5 days
TLC: 24-28 days
Pupa: black in colour
Phorid fly: Megaselia agarica
Phoridae: Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Mushroom

Biology

Egg period: 2 days

Whitish, elongated, cylindrical and slightly
Adult: curved
Maggot: 5 days
Dark brown in colour
Male longevity-2 days Dirty white in colour,
Female longevity- 3 days
Black mouth hook
TLC: 15 days Pupal: 7 days
Pupa: dark brown in colour with a pair of
respiratory horn on the thorax
Management

Put the spent compost and casing material in the manure pit and
cover them with 10 cm thick layer of manure – check fly breeding
Screening of doors and other inlets of the mushroom house – wire
nets of 14 – 16 mesh/cm
Drench the mushroom shed with malathion 50 EC or fenitrothion 50
EC @ 1 ml/ lit of water
Spray dichlorvos 76 EC @ 30 ml/ 100 m2 on window pans, walls
and ceilings of the mushroom house
 Spring tails: Seira iricolor, Lepidocyrtus cyaneus
Collembola

Distribution
All over India
Host range
Mushroom

Biology of S. iricolor

Adult longevity: 78 days

Egg period: 3 days
Ground colour with light violet band
Eggs laid singly or in clusters – along the sides of the body- dark and
moist paddy straw, compost and round scales all over the body
mushroom buttons
Management

Keep the floors of the mushroom house free from organic debris
Pasteurize mushroom houses and compost to kill the springtails
effectively
Raise mushroom crop above the floor
Disinfest the compost yard by spraying with malathion 50 EC @ 1 ml/
lit of water
Incorporate diazinon 20 EC in the compost (15ml of diazinon after
dilution in water in 100 kg of compost) at filling time
OTHER PESTS

Cecid fly: Heteropezina cathistes, Cecidomyiidae: Diptera

Staphylinid beetle: Staphylinus sp., Staphylinidae: Coleoptera

Cucujoid beetle: Cyllodes whiteii, Nitidulidae: Coleoptera

 ONION AND GARLIC
Thrips, Thrips tabaci (Thripidae:
Thysanoptera)
• Regular and serious pest
• Adults and nymphs are pale yellow,
remain in the leaf whorl
• Lacerate the leaf and suck the oozing
sap. Affected leaf show white streaks /
patches.
• Severely affected leaf dry from the tip
downwards and roll inwards
C. ONION AND GARLIC
1. Thrips: Thrips tabaci Lind. (Thripidae: Thysanoptera)

• Adults are pale yellow in colour and posses fringed wings with hairs.
• Both adults and nymphs are seen in groups, under leaf sheath coverings.
• They suck the sap by lacerating the leaf tissue resulting in the formation of white
speckles.
• The leaves dry up from tip down wards.
• In severe cases the entire plant wilts.

Adult Nymph Larvae

DAMAGE SYMPTOMS
 2. Onion fly: Hylemya antiqua (Muscidae: Diptera)
• Bulb and stem are bored by maggot.

maggot
 Defoliators
Spodoptera spp.
Semiloopers
 Management of thrips on onion

Spray Lambda cyhalothrin @ 1ml/l

 BORERS

Onion fly: Delia (= Hylema) antiqua

Muscidae: Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Garlic and onion
Biology

Egg period: 5-7 days

Eggs laid in soil

Adult: Maggot:
Slender greyish with
Whitish in colour
large wings

Pupal: 14- 21 days

Pupation: soil
Management

Grow tolerant variety: Allium fistulosum

Treat the soil with dust formulation: Carbaryl 5% D @ 25 kg/ ha
Insecticides: Methyl demeton 25 EC @ 2 ml/ lit or dimethoate 30 EC @ 1 ml / lit or
monocrotophos 36 SL @ 1ml/ lit with teepol 0.5 ml
Ear wig: Euborellia stali
Forficulidae: Dermaptera
Distribution
All over India

Host range
Onion, Garlic, Cabbage, Cotton, Sorghum and Groundnut

Biology

Egg period: 14 days Nymph: 50-54 days

21-139 eggs/ female Brown in colour

Adult:
Dark brown to black with forceps like
caudal cerci and white leg joints
Management

carbaryl 5 % D 25 kg/ha
OTHER PESTS

Cut worm: Spodoptera litura, Noctuidae: Lepidotpera

Black cut worm: Agrotis ipsilon, Noctuidae: Lepidotpera

Gram pod borer: Helicoverpa armigera, Noctuidae: Lepidotpera

PESTS OF ONION AND GARLIC
Onion thrips: Thrips tabaci
Thripdiae:Thysanoptera
Distribution
South east and central Europe, Russia, India,
Java, Japan, Australia, Hawaii,Mexico and Canada
Host range:
Onion, Tobacco, Garlic, Turnip, Radish, Ash gourd, Pumpkin, Cucumber, Cabbage,
Brinjal, Cotton, Tea, Sunflower, Pear, Alfalfa, Pea, Pine apple, Chillies, Tomato and
Grape vine
Biology
Egg period:10-15 days
Eggs inserted into the tender leaves
Adult: Nymphal: 4-6 days
Yellow in colour Yellow in colour
TLC: 25-28 days
Pupal: 3 days
Pupation: soil
 Management
Resistant varieties: White persian, Grano, Sweet spanish and Crystal wax
Neem coated urea to reduce the infestation of pest
Sky blue colour sticky traps to attract more adults than yellow colour
traps
Insecticides: Monocrotophos 36 SL @ 1 ml/ lit or dimethoate 30 EC @
1 ml/ lit with teepol 0.5 ml/ lit
 BORERS

Onion fly: Delia (= Hylema) antiqua

Muscidae: Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Garlic and onion
Biology

Egg period: 5-7 days

Eggs laid in soil

Adult: Maggot:
Slender greyish with
Whitish in colour
large wings

Pupal: 14- 21 days

Pupation: soil
Management

Grow tolerant variety: Allium fistulosum

Treat the soil with dust formulation: Carbaryl 5% D @ 25 kg/ ha
Insecticides: Methyl demeton 25 EC @ 2 ml/ lit or dimethoate 30 EC @ 1 ml / lit or
monocrotophos 36 SL @ 1ml/ lit with teepol 0.5 ml
Ear wig: Euborellia stali
Forficulidae: Dermaptera
Distribution
All over India

Host range
Onion, Garlic, Cabbage, Cotton, Sorghum and Groundnut

Biology

Egg period: 14 days Nymph: 50-54 days

21-139 eggs/ female Brown in colour

Adult:
Dark brown to black with forceps like
caudal cerci and white leg joints
Management

: Endosulfan 4 % D @ 25 kg/ ha or carbaryl 5 % D 25 kg/ha

OTHER PESTS

Cut worm: Spodoptera litura, Noctuidae: Lepidotpera

Black cut worm: Agrotis ipsilon, Noctuidae: Lepidotpera

Gram pod borer: Helicoverpa armigera, Noctuidae: Lepidotpera

Insect pest of Mango
1.Leaf hopper:Idioscopes niveosparsus
Idioscopes clypealis

2. Fruitfly: Bactrocera dorsalis

3. Stone weevil: Sternochetus mangiferae
4.Stem borer: Batocera rufomaculata
5. Mealybug: Drosicha mangiferae
6. Shoot borer: Chlumetia transversa
7. Leaf webber :Orthaga exvinacea
8.Leaf cutting weevil:Deporaus marginatus
Mango leaf hoppers (Cicadellidae: Hemiptera)

Idioscopus clypealis

Idioscopes niveosparsus

Idioscopus nitidilus
•A & N- sap -- flowers and leaves
during blossom period.
• Injured flowers fail to set fruits.
•In sever infestation they secrete
honey dew on which black sooty
mould develop later.
Dark nights and calm weather with
mean RH of 90% encourages large
population buildup.

ETL – 4 - 5 hoppers / panicle

Nature of damage

Symptom of damage:
Mango hopper
Mango hoppers
• Management:

• Avoid high density planting which encourages

hoppers population. 9m x 9m (123/ha); 10m x 10m
(100/ha); 12m x 12m (69/ha)
• Conserve NE’s like Spiders and Coccinellids.
• Install yellow sticky traps in the orchard
• Remove and destroy the malformed inflorescence or
shoot.
• A total of 3 sprays at 15 days interval
• Chemicals : 2 ml malathion or 0.50 ml Lamda
Cyhalothrin > 5/panicle or neem based insecticides
3ml per lit.
• 1st spray at early panicle emergence (before flower
opening)
• 2nd spray when the pea size fruits are seen.
Mango Fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel. (Tephritidae: Diptera)

Bactrocera dorsaluis
Nature of damage

Symptom of damage:
 Adult is brownish fly with bright yellow markings on the
body.

Female with well developed flat ovipositor. Eggs which are

white and banana shaped are inserted into the fruit.

•Maggots feed on the pulp inside.

•The affected portion rots and the
fruit finally drops off.
• Management:

• Plough the orchards to expose pupae.

• Destroy the fruits affected by maggots weekly.

• Fallen fruits (infested) may be collected and used as

traps for the flies to lay more eggs which can be
destroyed easily.

• Raking of the soil around trees : pupae or expose the

pupae to natural predators.
• The adults feed on honeydew, plant exudates and juices of ripe
injured fruits.
• Hence, they are quite responsive to attractants which can be
used for poison baiting.
 Poison baits : attract adult flies and kill before they lay their
eggs.
 Use methyl eugenol traps 1 ml of methyl eugenol +
1 ml malathion /lit of water @ 4 traps/acre area to attract
and kill the male adults. Use 100 ml solution / trap.
OR
 Methyl eugenol traps (1lt Bislery water bottle) : 3 drops of
methyl eugenol and 3 drops of dichlorvos
OR
 Spray with 4.0 gm Carbaryl /1.70ml dimethoate with 10gm
jaggery/lit of water during fruit ripening to control fruit flies.
Mango Mealy Bug: Drosicha mangiferae
F. Pseudococcidae O Homoptera

•The mango mealy bug (Drosicha mangiferae

Green) is responsible for devastating the crop
during its serious incidence.
•It is not as widespread as the mango hopper.
•It is easy to recognize by its large flattish and
plump females, which are covered with a white
meal.
 Mango mealy bug (Drosicha mangiferae
Green) he female lays eggs during May
under soil clods, around the tree trunk upto a
depth of 5-15cm.
•The nymphs emerge in December-January
and start climbing up the tree where they
congregate together and suck juice from
Mealy bugs on fruit
young shoots, panicles and flower pedicels.
•The affected parts dry up and yield is
reduced substantially.
•The females can be identified by their flat
shape, covered with white mealy powder-
once the pest manages to reach the top of
the plant, its control becomes rather difficult.

Mealy bugs on fruit set

Nature of damage

Symptom of damage

management:
 Mango Stem borer, Batocera rufomaculata
F. Cerambycidae: O. Coleoptera

•It is a polypahgous pest - attack fig, rubber , jack

eukalyptes etc.,
• Adult 50 mm with long antenna.
•Pink dots and lateral spines are present on the thorax.
 Nature of damage

Symptom of damage:

Pupation takes place in the trunk

region.

• Grub tunnels through the trunk or

branches and causes wilting.
Mango wilting due to infestation by stem borer
Management:
➢ Affected : removed and burnt.

➢ Grubs : killed by pouring / inserting cotton wool

soaked in chloroform, phenol/petrol or carbon
disulphide or DDVP into bored hole or placing some
crystals of PDB and close the hole with mud

➢ Carbofuron granules @ 5 g/hole

➢ Mechanical control : Hooking

➢ Healer cum sealer or sealer cum healer (IIHR Product)
 Mango nut weevil, Sternochetus mangiferae
(Fb.)
(Curculionidae: Coleoptera)

• Adult is dark brown in colour and stout.

• Grub is apodous, fleshy, light yellow with dark head.
 Nature of damage

Symptom of damage:

• Grubs after hatching tunnel through pulp, endocarp,

seed coat and reach cotyledon and feed on them.
• Pupation in the cotyledon.
• It affects the foreign export and germination of the nuts.
Management :
 Collection and destruction : fallen fruits at weekly
interval till harvest destroy
 Raking of soil : tree in Oct-Nov and March
 Spray main trunk and primary branches with
monocrotophos.
 Prior to flowering (Nov/Dec) with Diazinon 0.05% or
Fenthion 0.08% and is effective in reducing the number
of weevils hiding in bark.
 Spray Fenthion 100 EC 0.08% (1 ml/lt) followed by or
Carbaryl 0.2% at pea to marble size after 2 weeks gives
90% control.
Mango leaf webber: Orthaga exvinacea,
Family: Pyralidae O. Lepidoptera
• The larvae web the leaves and terminal shoots into
clusters. A webbed cluster of leaves may harbour
several larvae in the initial stage. The larvae are
initially gregarious and feed by scraping the leaf
surface. Late-instar larvae feed individually on the
whole leaf lamina leaving only the midrib. As a
consequence of severe feeding, clusters of webbed
leaves become dry and brown in colour. With severe
infestation, the shoots become dry and
photosynthesis is severely hampered. Trees which
bear clusters of affected leaves present a sickly
appearance and can be seen from a distance due to
the brown, dried, clustered leaves.
• Nature of damage

• Symptom of damage:

• Management:
 Mango leaf cutting weevil:
Deporaus marginatus (Pascoe)
(=Eugnamptus marginatus (Pascoe)
F: Attelabidae O: Coleoptera
Nature of damage:
Symptoms of damage:
The most obvious symptom of attack by D. marginatus are young
leaves that are cut and have fallen to the ground. Stripped shoots
can be easily seen on the infested plant. Adult feeding produces
'windowpanes' on young leaves.

Prevention and control

Cultural Control
Cut leaves loaded with eggs can be collected, then dried or burned.
Ploughing the soil under the crowns of host plants can kill the
pupae.
Chemical Control
Insecticide is applied when young leaves are 3 cm wide. Two or
three applications at weekly intervals is enough to effectively protect
the young shoots from attack by D. marginatus. Insecticide such
fenvalerate @ 1ml/l is effective for the control of D. marginatus
Aspidiotus destructor Sign.
Pulvinaria polygonata Cock.,
Parlatoria pergandii Comst.,
P.cinerea Hadden. and
Lepidosaphes gloverii Pack.
Mango Scale Insects
Several species of scale insects attack the mango in India.
Of these five are most serious: Aspidiotus destructor Sign.
Pulvinaria polygonata Cock., Parlatoria pergandii Comst.,
P.cinerea Hadden. and Lepidosaphes gloverii Pack.
A.destructor occurs in the mango-growing tracts of Uttar
Pradesh and the Punjab; Parlatoria cinerea and Pulvinaria
polygonata in Uttar Pradesh, and Parlatoria mangiferae in
Orissa.
A.dectyospermi Morgan, Diaspis mangiferae Green, and
Lecanium bicruciatum Green occur in S. India. L.gloverii
occurs in Uttar Pradesh only.
 Symptoms

Scal •These scale insects are generally

es found on mango trees but the
on other host plants are citrus, palms,
leaf banana, sugarcane, etc.
•They infest the tender parts of the
plants and trees, leading a
sedentary life and sucking the sap.
•The damage starts with the
advent of summer.
•The trees lose vitality, cease
growing and eventually die.
•Very little is known about their life
and seasonal history.
 Mango Shoot-Borer
Scientific Name :
Chlumetia transversa
Family : Noctuidae
Order :Lepidoptera

•Adult moths are stout with green forewings.

•Young caterpillars are yellowish orange with dark brown
prothoracic shield.
•Full grown caterpillars (20-24mm) are dark pink with dirty
spots.
C. transversa
tNature of damage:
Symptom of damage:

Management:

Freshly hatched caterpillars bore into mid ribs of

tender leaves, come out and bore into tender
shoots near the growing point tunneling
downwards, throwing excreta through entrance hole
Insect pest of Citrus
Pests of Citrus
 A. CITRUS
1. Citrus butterfly: Papilio demoleus L. (Papilionidae: Lepidoptera)
• Adult is a beautiful butterfly with bluish green
wings ornamented with yellow spots.
Adult
• Hind wings with brick red oval patches at the anal
margin.
• Young caterpillars are greenish in colour with
white and black patches look like bird droppings.
• The larvae feed on tender leaves.
• The full-grown caterpillar measures about 5 cm in
length, stout and dark green in colour.

First instar larva

Third (right), fourth (middle) and

fifth (left) instars caterpillars
• Pupates on twigs in a chrysalis, which is suspended on the plant by a thin silken thread.
• Other food plant is curry leaf.

Pupa Egg Defoliation

Damage symptoms
 Larva Caterpillar

Adult

Egg

Life Cycle Pupa

Citrus butter fly : Papilio demoleus
(F. Papilionidae : O. Lepidoptera )
Adult is a large beautiful
butter fly, measures 28
mm in length and 94 mm
in wing expanse.
❖ Its head and thorax are
black in colour and wings
are dull black in colour
and ornamented with
yellow markings
❖ Hind wings wing with
brick red oval patch on
the anal margin
The larva feeds on leaves
and defoliating the entire
plant
Citrus butterfly, Papilio demoleus L. (Papilionidae: Lepidoptera)

Butterfly has bluish green wings ornamented with

yellow spots. Hind wing with dark red oval patches
at anal margin.
Early instar larvae look
like bird dropping with
white and black patches.
They feed on tender
leaves.
Full grown caterpillar
is stout and dark
green in colour. Pupa
is called chrysalis.
Nature of damage:

Symptom of damage:
Management:
 Collection and destruction of caterpillars.
 Conservation: T. evanescens, Telenomus sp.
Braconid larval parasitoid, Distatrix papilionis

application of less toxic chemicals and botanicals

in citrus IPM
 Coinciding the application of insecticides with
fresh flush can reduce losses considerbly.
 Spray carbaryl, and syn.Pyrethroids on
new flush.
 Citrus leaf miner, Phyllocnestis cetrella Staint
(Gracillridae: Lepidoptera)

Moths are very small, grayish silvery white in

colour with fringed
Wings. A black spot on the forewing is prominent.
3. Leaf miner: Phyllocnistis citrella (Gracillariidae: Lepidoptera)
• This is a serious pest on lime and other citrus varieties.
• The adult moth is small, greyish silvery white in colour.
• Wings fringed with hairs.
• A black spot is present on tip of fore wings which is is prominent.
• Caterpillar is pale
green and mines in
between epidermal
layers of leaf in a zig-
zag manner resulting
in curling and wilting of
leaves.
• The mines later Larva Larva
become silvery white
(distorted leaf) and the Pupae Damage
affected leaves get
twisted and deformed.
• Larva is apodus and
pupates inside the
mines in silken web.

Eggs Damage
 Citrus leaf miner : Phyllocnistis citrella
( Phyllocnistidae : Lepidoptera )

Adult is a tiny moth, measuring 4.2 mm across the wings,

Silvery or greyish white in colour and wings fringed with
hairs. A black dot present on the fore wings
The larva mine in to the leaf blade making silvery zigzag lines
which results in curling and drying of tender leaves.
The mining may also lead to the secondary infection by fungi
and bacteria Eg : Citrus canker causing bacteria
Larvae mine into the leaves making silvery zigzag lines
which results in curling and drying of tender leaves
Transparent and ovoid-shaped egg of citrus
Young larva of citrus leafminer
leafminer.

Pupa of citrus leafminer Mines on grapefruit caused by citrus leafminer

Life cycle of citrus leaf miner
Nature of damage
Symptom of damage

Caterpillars mine into leaves in a zig-zag manner resulting in wilting

and curling up of leaves.
 Management:

 Sprayings should be commenced with

the appearance of fresh foliage.

 Spray systemic insecticides like

dimethoate @1.7ml/l or acephate @1g/l
Pyrethriods.

 NSKE 5% is also useful.

Fruit sucking moth, Eudocima
spp. (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

E.. fullonica
 Nature of damage:

Symptom of damage

Adults are damaging

stages. They also attack
guava, mango, tomato,
grapes and pomegranate
4. Citrus fruit sucking moth:
Eudocima (=Othreis) fullonia (Linn.);
Eudocima (=Othreis) materna (Linn.);
Eudocima (=Othreis) ancilla Linn.
(Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)
• Adults are the damaging stage, which suck the juice from the
ripe fruits resulting in dropping of fruits.
• It also attacks mango, grapes and pomegranate fruits.
• Adult is a large sized moth beautifully coloured with orange
coloured hind wings having bean shaped black spot in the
centre in case of O. fullonia and circular black spot in case of
O. materna.
• It also attacks mango, grapes, guavas, apple, peach, tomato
and pomegranate fruits.
• Caterpillars feed on foliage of weeds like Tinospora cardifolia
and Cocculus hirsutus etc.
• Eggs are laid on weed plants the caterpillars feed on these
plants and develop and pupate in the leaf folds.
 Adult

Male (left) and female (right) Caterpillars

E.fullonia
Eudocima (=Othreis) fullonia (Linn.)
Eudocima (=Othreis) materna (Linn.);

Eggs
Eudocima (=Othreis) ancilla Linn.
Management:
 Erecting flood lights in orchard to repel moths.
 Generate smoke in late evening to repel moths.
 Sanitation in orchard (weeds).
 Bagging of fruits with paper covers/polyethylene covers
may escape the attack.
 Egg parasitoids like Trichogramma sp., Telenomus sp.,
Ooencyrtes sp. and larval parasitoids like Eplectrus
euplexiae and E. materna may be encouraged.
 Bait with fruit juice, sugar, malathion and water may
be placed in the orchard during fruit ripening period.
 Perennial castor in and around orchard should be
destroyed (caterpillars breed on it).
 Use deterrents like citronella
 3. Blackfly: Aleurocanthus woglumi,
Dialeurodes citri (Aleyrodidae : Homoptera)
• Serious pest in Nagpur and some
parts of Karnataka.
❑ Adults = Tiny moth like slaty – black
with white markings at the edge of the
wings.

❑ Eggs: spirals on new leaves.

❑ After hatching, the nymphs

(Crawler) move a distance before settling
down and starting to feed.

❑ Black fly nymphs are scale – like shiny

back, conspicuously spiny and
bordered by a white fringe or waxy.
 Nymphs which are black
in color suck sap from
leaves and devitalize
the plants.
 Groups of insects suck sap
from under side of the leaves.
 Honeydew = excreted = sooty
molds on upper sides of
leaves.
 Incidence = starts increasing -
post-rainy season &
disappears in summers.
 5. Citrus Black fly: Aleurocanthus woglumi (Aleurodiade: Homoptera)

Nymphs remain on lower side of leaves and suck the sap resulting in browning of leaves and
yield of fruits gets reduced.

Adult Pupa

Eggs Damage symoptoms

5. Aphids: Toxoptera aurantii, Aphis gossypii, Myzus persicae
(Aphididae : Homoptera)
❑ Found throughout India but
generally do not cause serious
damage but are (T. aurantii)
important as vectors of “Tristeza
virus”.
❑ Citrus spp. other members of
Rutaceae, Ficus spp. tea, cocoa,
coffee etc are also infested.
❑ Adults of T. aurantii shiny black in
color may be winged or wingless
with relatively short antennae.
❑ Immature stages are brown in
color.
Spiraling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus Russel
(Aleyrodiae: Hemiptera

Recently introduced pest. Polyphagous in nature attacks

many fruit and ornamental plants.
Adult lay eggs in spiral manner and the young ones suck
the sap from leaves. Due to heavy infestation lot of honey
dew is secreted on which sooty mould develops.
2. Stem borer: Chelidonium cinctum (Guer)
(Cerambycidae: Coleoptera)
2. Stem borer: Chelidonium cinctum (Guer) (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera)

• Adult is an elongate beetle measuring about 1-1.5 inch in

length with dark metallic greenish blue shiny body.
• There are transverse yellow bands in the middle of elytra.
• The full-grown grub measures about 1½ inch in length.
• The grub is pale yellowish white in colour with broad anterior
and narrow posterior ends.
• They bore into the branches resulting in the drying up of
twigs.
• Ejection of chewed wood through the holes is seen
prominently.
Citrus stem borer ( Cerambycidae : Coleoptera )

1. Chelidonium argentatum

Adult is a shinning blue beetle measures 3 cm

in body length
 2. Chelidonium cinctum

Adults are metallic blue elongate beetles ,

3 – 4 cm in length with transverse yellow
patch on the middle of the elytra.
 Bored hole Tunnels

On hatching white grubs make circular cuts on the twigs and

bore in to the branches and later tunnel in to the main stem,
the attacked plants show dried twigs and holes on the main
stem through which frass is pushed out.
Nature of Damage

Symptoms of damage

Withering of twigs

Gum exudation

Wood powder
accumulation at the
base of the tree.
Management
Citrus fruit sucking moth : Eudocima materna

It has greenish
brown
Fore wings and
orange
Coloured hind
wings,
Each with a
circular black
spot
Caterpillar
Pupae
Citrus fruit sucking moth : Eudocima phalonia
Large
orange
coloured
moths the
hind wings
each with
large
curved
black
spots
Caterpillar
Pupae
It breeds on the creeper weed

Tinospora cardifolia
Cocculus spp.
Adult moths are active at night suck the juice from ripen fruits
Adult moth suck the juice from ripen fruit
Adult moth suck the juice from ripen fruit
Circular hole of proboscis on the fruit acts as a entry hole for microorganisms
Piercing holes on the fruit surface
 Citrus psyllids : Diaphorina citri
( Pyllidae : Hemiptera )

Adults are 2 – 4 mm long found on lower

surface of the leaves and also on the fruits
with their head almost touching the surface
and rest of the body tilted upwards.
 Host plants : Lemon,Orange, Sweet lime,Sour lime,
Curry leaves

Nature of damage
The nymphs and adults crowed on the terminal shoots and buds

and suck the sap resulting in poor growth and death of shoots.

The fruit may become under sized, poor in juice contents and

taste less.

It is a vector of greening disease in citrus

 Thrips ; Thrips nilgiriensis
( Thripidae : Thysanoptera )

Adult is a yellowish
coloured insects with
fringed wings

The thrips feeds on the leaves and on the surface of fruits

the surface of infested fruits becomes discoloured and cracked
Citrus mealy bug : Planococcius citri
( Pseudococcidae : Hemiptera )
Almost all parts of citrus plants
including roots are attacked by
this polyphagous mealy bug.
However, the fruit stalk is most
preferred site of infestation which
causes premature dropping of
fruits.
Its honey dew excretion promotes
sooty mould.
Citrus aphid : Toxoptera citricidus
( Aphididae : Hemiptera )

Brown coloured aphids, feed in large numbers on

tender leaves and shoots. The affected leaves
turn yellow and curl
It is also know to transmits Tristeza virus
Leaf footed bus : Leptoglossus membranaceus
( Coreidae : Hemiptera )

Both nymphs and adults pierce a fruit and suck the sap
as a results of which it may dry up and drop prematurely.
Pests of papaya, Jamoon and
there management
Pests of papaya and their
management
Pests of papaya and their
management

Scientific name: Carica papaya

Native to mexico introduced to india in

16th century

Grown allover country and occupies

about 10,000ha area
 Major pests of papaya

Mites , Tetranychus spp.

Papaya Fruit Flies , Toxotrypana curvicauda and
Bactrocera dorsalis
Papaya Webworms
Papaya Whiteflies Bemisia tabaci
papaya scale, Philephedra tuberculosa
Papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus
Leafhoppers Empoasca stevensi
Aphids Myzus persicae ,Lipaphis erysimi
Giant African snail ,Achatina fulica
Papaya Fruit Flies
Toxotrypana curvicauda,
Bactrocera dorsalis
 Adults- wasps like, because of the long ovipositor
of the female fly
 Eggs- are usually laid in small fruit, about two to
three inches in diameter.
 Larvae- small legless maggots,
 Damage-feed on the seed and interior parts of the
fruit.
 Pupation- beneath the plant just below the soil
surface. (2-4weeks the flies emerge)-
Papaya fruit fly female (left) and
fruit damaged by papaya fruit fly
(right).
 Control measures

Removal and disposal of ripe fruits from trees and ground

Preventing egg-laying either by mechanical means or by
applying insecticides
Cover fruits with a semi-permiable shrink wrap film
Use methyl-eugenol traps to attract and kill flies, hang in
semi-shade.
Spray fenthion 1ml/lt or malathion 2ml/lt on
semi ripe fruits
Post harvest "disinfestation” submersion in water at 42 C
and 49 C
Papaya Whiteflies
Bemisia tabaci
 Adult -small white insects seen especially on young leaves.
 Eggs- yellow and oval shaped, and appear to have been
dusted.
 crawlers - flat and resemble scale crawlers, feeding and
developing on the undersides of leaves.
 The whiteflies produce honeydew, on which sooty mold
grows.
Damage

Nymphs and adults suck the

sap from the undersurface of the
leaves and cause yellowing of leaves
 control

Collect and destroy the damaged leaves

and infested leaves

Spray dimethoate 0.6%

along with 0.5% benomy fungicide

Release biocontrol agents- parasitoides like

Amitus fuscipennis and Encarsia tabacivora

(http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu )
 Leafhoppers (Empoasca stevensi)

Leafhoppers cause two types of

damage:
-Direct feeding and
-indirect damage as vectors :Leaf curl.
Symptoms
➢ Tip burn and wrinkling
➢ Cupping of the leaves
➢ Burning of leaf margins in large trees
➢ Stunting of smaller plants.
. Leaf curling symptoms
by the leafhopper
Empoasca stevensi,
Aphids Myzus persicae
Lipaphis erysimi

Transmit virus diseases, -

papaya ring spot virus &
papaya mosaic virus.
papaya ring spot virus
 Aphids Myzus persicae
Lipaphis erysimi
The aphids, infest leaves of papaya plantings .
Tiny lice-like insects with color ranging from pink yellow,
brown to black
Transmit virus diseases, -papaya ringspot virus and papaya
mosaic virus.

papaya mosaic virus

 control

Control by spraying decamethrin on stem, leaves

Repeat procedure every two weeks,

Nutrient management

(info@orchardfarming.com)
Papaya Mealybug
Paracoccus marginatus

Flatten oval insects (1-4 mm long).

Feed on leaves, stems, fruits and even on seedlings.
Mealybugs cause deformity, wrinkling
and rolling of the leaf edges and early leaf drop.
unripe fruits are attacked causes sap running and
Make fruit inedible.
They can transmit a viral disease known as leaf drop
and will cause a reduced yield

. Papaya mealybug
 Damage

Papaya leaves infested with

papaya mealybug.

Papaya mealybugs infesting

fruits
Mulberry
Other host
plants
on wild mulberry teak
Life Stages
of P.
marginatus

Male
Damage
Predators observed

Chilocorus nigritus
Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

Spalgis epius
Percent parasitism on Paracoccus marginatus
by
Acerophagus papayae and Anagyrus loecki. A
Guam
Imported parasitoids from USDA
Acerophagus papayae
Acerophagous papayae
Anagyrus loecki

Anagryrus loecki ♀
Length – 1.25mm
Pseudoleptomastix mexicana
 control

Control by spraying Malathion

Beauveria bassiana- Mycotrol (trade name)
Acerophagus nubilipennis (Hymenoptera:Encyrtidae) is an
effective parasitoid of the mealybug

(http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS177)
White peach scale
Philephedra tuberculosa
Pseudaulacaspis pentagona

Peach scale damage

 Damage

Scale infestation results in 3 types of damage

• Flower and leaf drop occur from severely infested

young plants

2.Is localized near the apex, distortion of

apical leaves

3. Females attached to the fruit cause cosmetic

damage that makes fruit unmarketable.
 Control

Release of Biocontrol agents –

Cryptolaemus montrouzieri
fungus -Verticillium lecanii (90% mortality)

There are two small parasitic wasps,

e.g.,
Coccophagous lycimnia and
Trichomastus portoricensis,
 Thrips Thrips parvispinus
They cause damage to both nursery
and mature plants By feeding on young leaves

Results in mottling or streaking of the

leaves

Feeding sites provides the invasion by

saprophytic fungus Cladosporium oxysporum

Causes bunchy and malformed top

 Ash weevil Myllocerus spp

Adults -notch the leaf margin

Grubs -feed on roots

Results in wilting of plants

Control
Collect and destroy adults
Spray carbaryl 50 WP @2g /lt z
 papaya painted grasshopper
Poekilocerus pictus
Family:Pyrgomorphidae O: Orthoptera
Life cycle
•Eggs -laid into soil at a depth of 18-20cm
•eggs are elongate and orange in colour covered with frothy
secrection
•Nymphs -start emerging from the soil from end of march to april
•They are yellowish with orange and black stripes and dots all
over the body
•Adults -are stout , blue-green with yellow markings and red
wings
• 2 generations per year eggs laid during sep-nov
overwinters and hatch in mar-april
 Damage

Both nymphs and adults feed voraciously on leaves

defoliate the plants
sever infestation even bark is eaten up

Control
•0.1% malathion is effective
 Mites (Tetranychus spp )

Damage symptoms
leaf decoloration and leaf drop.
When populations are high,
the apical leaves show deformity,
mottling and virus-like symptoms

Tetranychus spp. infesting

papaya leaves
control

Remove the infested leaves and burn

Spray dicofol

(info@orchardfarming.com)
 . Papaya Webworm
( Homolapalpia dalera)
 Nature of Damage

Referred to as the fruit cluster worm

It develops under a web between and around fruits and
along stems of plants.
The webworm cause injury to fruit and stem, providing an
entrance for the fungus –Anthracnose disease.
CONTROL
 Cypermethrin is recommended.
 malathion
 Bacillus thuringiensis aid in the control of webworms.
Giant African snail Achatina fulica

Eggs at the base of plant

Snail on papaya fruit

and stem

Sever damage
➢Management

Collection and deep bury in soil

Apply lime+ salt at entry point
Poison bait application (Border or spot application)
Metaldehyde 2.5% pellets
Pests of jamun Syzygium cumini,
and there management
 Pests of jamun /Jambolan

Common name: Black plum

Scientific name: Syzygium cumini

Family: Myrtaceae

The jamun is native in India, Burma,

Ceylon and the Andaman Islands

Large number of insects attracted to jamun tree

About 36 insect species have been recorded so far .
 Bark eating caterpillar
Indarbela tetraonis
(Metarbelidae:Lepidoptera)
Adult –is a stout pale brown moth with
grey wavy markings on wings
Eggs –eggs are laid in clusters in cuts and crevices on
bark during May-june
Incubation period 8-10 days
Larvae-the caterpillars are brownish
and than bore into the trunk feed within
Galleries july-march
Pupation-inside the galleries for 3-4 weeks
Only one generation/yr

(crop pests of kerala and their control)

 Damage

The larvae bore inside the trunk

or stem making irregular galleries
which interfere with the
translocation of cell-sap.
Growth remain stunted and the
fruiting capacity is reduced
Attacked branches die in due
course
 control
➢Management Remove and destroy dead and severely affected
branches of the tree
➢Remove alternate host, silk cotton and other hosts
➢Grow tolerant mango varieties viz., Neelam, Humayudin.
➢Padding with monocrotophos 36 WSC 10 ml in 2.5 cm /tree
soaked in absorbent cotton.
➢If infestations are severe then apply the copper oxychloride paste
on the trunk of the tree.
➢Hook out the grub from the bore hole - apply monocrotophos 36
WSC 10 to 20 ml/ hole
➢One celphos tablet (3 g aluminum phosphide) per hole
➢Apply carbofuran 3G 5 g per hole and plug with mud.
Insert cotton dipped in insecticides into bored holes and plaster with mud .
Remove webbings, bark and apply chemicals like carbarly50WP 40g or
Fenitrothion 50EC @10ml or
10ml of monocrotophos 40EC
 Leaf caterpillar
Metanastria hyrtaca
(Lasiocamidae : Lepidoptera)

Adult –Its 45mm to 70mm,moth is chocolate brown with dark

Brown patch and a white spot on fore wings.
Eggs –In clusters on underside of leaves .
On an average 250eggs.incubation period-9days
Larvae –Is a greyish caterpillar of 75mm densely hairy
It has 5-6 instars .Avg duration of 35days.
Pupation –In cocoons attached underside of leaf for 12days
Damage

Larva Remains crowded on bark

during day time Feeds on the leaves
during night.

Young plants suffer more due to

attack by the caterpillar
Leaf caterpillar
Bombotelia delatrix
(Noctuidae:lepidoptera)

Adult –moth is 2.7cm in wing span

Forewings are brownish with black lines

Eggs are laid in single on leaves

Incubation period is 3-4days

Larval period lasts for 12-14 days

Green color with strips and spots.

Pupation in cocoon for 14 days

 Damage

The caterpillars seen usually when there

is new flush Of tender leaves

They remain in leaf folds and feed on tender

leaves irregularly
Helmet caterpillar
Carea angulata (noct : lep)

Common pest of jamun

Adult is a purple or brown

winged moth and medium sized

Larvae green coloured has a swollen

part anteriorly resembling tender fruits

Life cycle completed in 32days

Causes sever defoliation

 control

Collection and destruction of larvae in initial stage

Spraying of malathion 0.15 %

Or NSKE 5% will control the population

 Leaf miner
Acrocercops syngramma
(Gracillaridae : lepidoptera )

Adult –is a minute silvery moth

Eggs laid on the tender leaves
Larva-It is a leaf mining
caterpillar
causes blister like swellings on upper
surface of leaves
Pupation in soil
Total life cycle is about 4weeks
 Leaf Webber
Lepidogma sp
(pyraustidae:lepidoptera)

Eggs -are laid on webbings of shoots in clusters

Egg period lasts for 4 days
Larvae –young ones are gregarious feed
on leaf surface
Grown up caterpillar cut holes on leaves
Larval period is 28-30 days
Pupation takes place within webbed up cluser
of leaves
Jamun looper
Oenospila flavifuscata
(geometridae :lepidopera)

Adult –moth is 2.5cm in wing span with green wings

Bearing grey brown markings
Eggs-laid in groups on edges of tender leaf blades
Eggs hatch in 2-3days
Larvae-green color full grown in 17-18 days
Pupa – within rolled up leaves for 7-8days

Total life cycle completed in 26-29days

 control

Collect and destroy the damaged leaves

Use light trap at 1/ha to attract and kill adults

Spray endosulfan 35EC 2ml/lt

or malathion 50EC 2ml/lt

 Fruit fly
Bactrocera correcta
(Tephritidae :diptera)

Eggs – thrust inside fruits by ovipositor

Maggots-eat internal pulp and cause fruit

rotting.
Ovipositional injury makes
way for the development of fermenting
micro organisms.
Thrips leeuwenia karnyi

They are long tailed thrips which lacerates

epidermal layer of tenderLeaves

Damaged leaves show silvery patches

PESTS OF GUAVA
SAP FEEDER
Tea mosquito bug:Helopeltis antonii
Miridae: Hemiptera
Distribution
India, Srilanka, Vietnam and Indonesia
karnataka, kerala, Goa, T.N. and Maharashtra
Active throughput the crop season and more during fruiting season
Host range
Tea, Guava, Grapevine, Cashew, Neem, Cinchona, cocoa, cotton, guava
Pepper, Tamarind and Cinnamon
Biology
Eggs : Lay 500 eggs/female
Nymphal: 10 days
5-7 days Egg period, White in
Greenish yellow in colour
coloured sausage shaped eggs,
slightly curved with a pair of
breathing filaments which project
out from its operculum. Adult: Small reddish brown, active
elongate bug with black or olive green
head Yellow and black thorax, yellow and
greenish abdomen Knobbed process on
Eggs are inserted into epidermis of tender
shoots, axis of inflorescence, buds and
midrib (I.P is 7 days)

Nymphs are reddish brown and ant like

Five nymphal instars (Nymphal period is 22

days.)
 Nature and Symptom of damage:
Both Nymphs and adults suck the sap from
tender leaves, shoots, tender fruits, grown
up fruits, inflorescence etc..

On leaves: When they suck the sap from

tender leaves such leaves exhibits reddish
small streak particularly on midribs and
slightly showing curling at that particular
part.
 Shoots: initially brown coloured spot
on damaged shoots which increases in
size and become black in colour to
form black linear streak and dry up
due to injection of saliva.
Tender fruits: Affected Tender fruits become
black and dry up

Grown up fruits: Corky(Kajji)apprearence on

fruit surface, looks ugly(The taste is not affected,
remove corky layer and eat.) , market value is
reduced,
Blossom blight and die back symptoms are
appeared.
Widespread drying of shoots, inflorescence and
flowers and shedding of nuts takes plance.
The yield loss due to the pest damage may be
as high as 80%
 Integrated Management
Biological methods
Fungal pathogen Aspergillus flavus causes 85-90%
mortality .
Nymphs are predated by ants, Crematogaster
wroughtoni and reduviid bugs.
Chemical Insecticides: spray on new flesh formation
with dimethoate 30 EC @ 1.7ml/l or fenthion 1ml/l
and malathion 50 EC 2ml/l at bimonthly interval at the
time of flowerbud initiation, flowering and pea nut sized
fruit formation .
Apply malathion 50 EC @ 2ml/l at fruit formation
Guava green shield scale: Chloropulvinaria psidii
Family : Coccidae Order: Homoptera
guava scale; green shield scale; guava mealy
scale), is a species of soft scale insect in the
family Coccidae. Is a serious pest on guava in
India. Presence of small greenish-yellow, sessile,
oval shaped scales suck the sap from leaves,
tender twigs, shoots and fruits.
 Symptom of damage:
Acute infestation may kill the plants
Presence of scales on tender parts of plant
is the sure symptoms of the pest.
Development of sooty mold on plant parts
affect photosynthesis can see ants
activities more during summer.
 Integrated management:
Prune the affected parts and burn at early stage
of infestation preferably between December and
February( Non - fruiting stage)
prune all adjoining branches of infested trees to
prevent the easy spread of pests to neighboring
trees.
Spray starch 2% to remove the sooty mold(upon
drying it comes out as flakes)

Biological method: Release the predatory grubs

of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri @ 20-30
grubs/tree during January or February.
 Chemical methods: Dusts methyl parathion 2D
@25 g/l around the base of the tree even when
light infestation is noticed to prevent ascending
of ants.
In severe cases prune the affected part and
spray diazinon 40EC @2ml/l or Quinalphos @%
EC @2ml/l at least 2-4 sprays are necessary in
summer.
Mealybug: Ferrisia virgata
Planococcus citri
P. lilacinus
Family: Pseudococcidae O. Hompotera

Cause serious damage to many guava

orchards in South India

Management: Refer scale Insect

management procedure
 Spiralling Whitefly: Aleurodicus dispersus
F. Aleyrodidae O. Homoptera

Polyphagous and exotic pests has recently become

a serious problem on guava and other crops
Biology: Adult is larger in size(2mm) The male : female asex
ratio is 1: 10
Eggs: are laid in a characteristic spiraling pattern and cover
them with the wax derived from the abdomen. On an
average 5 eggs occur in a spiral.
The eggs have short stalk that is inserted into the leaf
stomata to derive moisture from the leaves. Incubation
period is 8 days
Nymphs: Ist instar are crawler moves
towards a vein or veinlets and lies parallel
to the vein. The next three instars are
immoblie , lie perpendicular to the veins
and get covered with flocculent masses of
white wax. The fourth instar nymph is
called pupae (Nymphal period is 22 Days)

Total Life Cycle is 27-31 days.

Adults of spiraling
whitefly

Symptoms of spiraling
whitefly
Nature and Symptoms of damage:
Colonies of nymphs and adult found on lower
surface of the leaves and go on suck the sap, as
a result

the chlorosis symptoms and early senescence of

leaves noticed Honeydew supports the sooty
mold fungus. In most cases the trees withstand
heavy population of the whitefly and recover
Integrated management:
Cultural method: High levels of nitrogen and pruning attract the
pest Spray water @ 12.5 litres /minutes at two days intervals
for 30 days to control the pest population.
Mechanical methods; Whiteflies are attracted to yellow sticky
traps.
Biological methods:
Predators: such as lacewing : Mallada boninensis(Hemerobidae
: Neuroptera), lady bird beetle: Cryptolaemus montrouzieri,
Axinoscymnus puttarudriahi, Scymnus coccivora, Menochilus
sexmaculatus feed on larvae and eggs of pest
Parasitoid: Encarsia haitiensis is highly useful in tackling
whitefly problem.
Bitanical/ Biorational method:
Neem oil 200ml+ Triton 300 ml(Surfactant) controls pest
Chemical method: Moderalely effective chemicals such as
Malathion 2ml/l or Diflubenzuron 1ml/l
Castor capsule borer: Conogethes punctiferalis
F. Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
India, Australia, Myanmar, Srilanka, China,
Indonesia and Malaysia
Host range
Castor, Mango, Sorghum, Guava, Peaches, Cardamom, Ginger,Turmeric,
Pomegranate, and Avocado.

Egg period: 6 days

Biology Eggs laid on the developing fruits
Adult:
Larval: 12 –16 days
Yellow with black spots
Total life cycle: 25-33 days Pale green with pinkish
tinge and fine hairs
Pupal: 7 – 10 days with dark head
Conogethes punctiferalis is a polyphagous species, well
distributed in the tropics and subtropics. In Punjab and
Himachal Pradesh, India,

Conogethes has become a serious pest of plum, peach,

pear, litchi and pomegranate. On guava,

Conogethes is a major pest from the beginning of the

twenty-first century infesting up to 20% fruits in
Jammu and Kashmir, and Allahabad Safeda is the most
susceptible cultivar to infestation.
• Larva pale reddish brown with numerous
tubercles on body. Larval period 12- 16 days.
Pupation inside the fruit in a silken cocoon,
pupal period 4-11 days.
• Adults are medium sized bright orange- yellow
color has numerous black dots on wings.
 Control measures

• Biological method: Bacillus thuringiensis for the control

of C. punctiferalis
• Chemicals
• : Chlorpyriphos 20 EC
• cypermethrin 10 EC
• (carbaryl 50WP
• dimethoate 30EC
• neem oil 30EC (3%)
• was found to be effective against C. punctiferalis in the
guava orchards
 Management
Collect and destroy damaged fruits
Use light trap @ 1/ ha to monitor the activity of adults
Clean cultivation as weed plants serve as alternate
hosts
Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 0.1% or 0.07% or
dimethoate 30 EC 0.06%, two rounds, one at flower
formation and next at fruit set.
 Guava fruit fly: Bactrocera diversus
Tephritidae: Diptera
Distribution
India, Pakistan, South East Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Philippines, Australia, China and Taiwan.
Host range: Mango, Citrus, Guava, Sapota, Banana, Mango,
Jack and Ber

Biology Egg period: 3-10 days

Eggs laid in clusters in the soft skin of
Adult: fruits
Maggot: 29 days
Brown or dark Creamy white in colour
brown with
hyaline wings Pupal: : 6-44 days
and yellow legs Pupation: soil
 IPM for fruit borers
Collect and destroy fallen and infested fruits by dumping in a pit
and covering with a thick layer of soil
Plough interspaces to expose puparia and apply lindane 1.3 D @
25kg/ha
Parasitoids: Opius compensatus and Spalangia philippinensis
Use methyl eugenol lure trap (25/ha) to monitor and kill adults of
fruit flies or prepare methyl eugenol and malathion 50 EC mixture
at 1:1 ratio and take 10 ml mixture/ trap
Bait spray combining molasses or jaggery 10g/l and one of the
insecticides, fenthion 100 EC 1ml/l or malathion 50 EC 2 ml/l or
dimethoate 30 EC 1ml/lit, two rounds at fortnight interval before
ripening of fruits.
Inseciticides: malathion 50 EC 0.05%, four times at 15 days
interval
Other pests

Guava scale: Chloropulvinaria psidii, Diaspididae: Hemiptera

Mealy bugs: Coccus viridis, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera

Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera

Aphid: Aphis gossypii, Aphididae: Hemiptera

Whitefly: Aleurotuberculatus psidii, Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera

Bark borer: Indarbela tetraonis, Metarbelidae: Lepidoptera

Fruit borers: Duodorix isocrates, Lycaenidae: Lepidoptera

Rapala varuna, Lycaenidae: Lepidoptera

Scarlet mite: Brevipalpus phoenicis, Tenuipalpidae, Acarina

 Fruit borer: Rapala varuna
F. Lycaenidae
O Lepidoptera
Larva

Adults
Insect pests of Ber
1. Ber fruit borer: Meridarchis scyrodes Meyr.
(Carpocinidae: Lepidoptera)

• The larva is reddish and adult is

dark brown in colour.
• The larva bores into the fruits and
feeds on the pulp around the seed.
• Nature of damage

• Symptom of damage
Ber fruit borer, Meridarches scyrodes
Affected ber
management:
2. Ber fruit fly: Carpomyia vesuviana C.
(Tephretidae: Diptera)

• Adult is small fly with black spots on the

thorax and dark spots on the wings.
• The maggots bore into the riped fruits and
feed on the pulp.
Nature of damage
Adult

Symptom of damage

Maggot

Damage of symptoms
Management
 3. Ber seed weevil: Aubeus himalayanus Voss
(Curculionidae: Coleoptera)
• Adult is a small brownish weevil.
• Eggs are laid on small fruits.
• Grub enters into fruit and feeds on developing seed when the
fruits are of pebble size.
• Entry hole gets healed up.
• Only one grub per fruit can be seen.
• Infested fruits become round and never increase in size.
• In case of infested fruits, the first half portion becomes reddish
brown rough surface and second half towards naval region is
normal.
• In Karnataka, this pest has been reported Bijapur for the first
time.
Nature of
damage

Symptom of
damage
Pupa
Ber seed weevil: Aubeus himalayanus
Voss (Curculionidae: Coleoptera)
 Grub

Pupa
 Adult
Weevils

Typical Symptoms of attack

Grub / Pupa in the fruit
 nature of damage
• Symptom of damage • Management
Exit holes

Typical Symptoms of attack

Insect pests of grape
 Major Insect Pests
Sucking pests
• Thrips
• Leafhoppers
• Aphids
• Mealy bugs
Stem/ fruit borers
• Flea beetle
• Stem girdler
• Stem borer
• Fruit borers
• Root grubs
Mealybugs:
Maconellicoccus hirsutus
Ferrisia virgata
Planococcus citri

M. hirsutus was first reported from kadur and parts of Kolar

districts of karnataka during 1976, then spread to throughout
karnataka. The outbreak was attributed to
1.Indiscriminate use of insecticides eliminated natural
enemies of mealybugs
2. Polyphagous in nature feeds on more than 125 host plants
and survive better(Alternate hosts: Bhendi, Hibiscus, Custard
apple, Guava, Glyricidia, Mulberry etc…)
Occur throughout the year on grapes and more serious
during summer months and less active in Winter and rainy
seasons.
Ferrisia virgata
Planococcus citri

Maconellicoccus hirsutus
 Biology: Eggs are pinkish lay in egg sac or cottony white
structure called as ovisac 250-500 eggs per female( I.P. is 7
days.

Nymphs: first instar is pinkish in colour(Crawlers) with a

pair of antenna, compound eyes, three pair of legs and very
active. And subsequent instars are sessile.

Adult of male is elongate oval, light pink in colour, body

covered with white mealy matter. Adult males are small oval
with one pair of wings and they are short lived.
Nature and symptom of damage:
Nature of damage: Nymphs and adults suck the sap from lower side of
leaves, shoots, berries and sprouts and population appears in clusters during
fruit ripening stage,

Symptom of damage: The infested part curl up, sprouts becomes stunted
and after pruning the shoots gets twisted. Infested inflorescence dry up,
infested leaves get twisted and shoots become abnormal in growth. The
clusters or damaged bunch size shows severely reduced, berries shrivels and
unfit for consumption.

The affected bunches shows stickiness and honeydew secretion and sooty
mold which hinders wine preparation and juice of inferior quality. The berries
rot because of secondary fungal infection

In severe cases the mealybugs also go to soil and attack roots system.
Compactness of bunch gives protection and congenial for
mealy bugs. They also takes shelter under crevices of bark
After bunches are removed and re-infest once the vegetative
buds arises.

The yield loss may be as much as 90%

Mealy bugs, Maconellicoccus hirsutus
Family: Pseudococcidae Order: Homoptera
• Serious pests in AP,KA,
MH, TN
• KA: B’lore, kolar, Bijapur,
chitradurga.
• > 125 hosts & 28 host in
India
• Called : hard to kill
insects
due to concealed habits
& waxy coating
Eggs: 350 - 500 eggs
TLC : 1 month
Severity :

• April pruning : June Aug

• Oct pruning : Jan – March
Integrated management:
 Mealy bugs, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (contd..)
Non Chemical Approaches
Biological control: Release of coccinellid Predator
Cryptolaemus montrouzeri @ 4000 -5000 adults /ha or
10 grubs / vine
• Cost : 40 ps/adult
• Adult : 900-1500 or 300 nymphs/acre
• Scymnus coccivora, Mallada boninensis also can be
released
• Parasitoid: Anagyrus dactylopii (Encyrtidae)
2) Sparrow 888 – biodegradable oil @ 2ml/lit
3) Before predatory beetle establishment, spray Meenark-
i.e., Fish oil resin soap @ 20g/lit + dichlorvos 1ml/l after
removing the loose bark.
4) Vertimec: Lecanicillium(Verticillium) lecanii @ 1kg/acre
(4g/lit)
Moderately effective: Remove loose bark and swab the trunk
with IIHR Mixture and repeate after six months coinciding with
pruning.
Spray : Phenthoate 1 ml or
dichlorovos 1 ml + Meenark 2 g/lit
Predators release followed by dichlorovos is best – it safe
Spray monocrotophos 36 SL @ 1.5ml/ liter two weeks after
pruning.
From fruiting formation stage spray dichlorvos @1ml/l at
weekly intervals depending on infestation.
Stop spray at least one week prior to harvest
 Waiting periods of different insecticides for
C. montrouzieri

Insecticides Waiting period (days)

Monocrtophos @ 0.05 25
Oxy. Demeton Methyl @ 0.10 %
18
Dimethoate @ 0.06 % 15
Phosalone @ 0.07 % 15
Methyl parathion @ 0.10 % 7
Diazinon @ 0.05 % 7
Dichlorovos @ 0. 20 % 0
Chlorpyriphos @ 0.05 % 0 Safe
Fish oil resin soap@ 25 g/lit 0
 Thrips: Rhipiphorothrips cruentatus
Scirtothrips dorsalis
F. Thripidae O Thysanoptera
• Scirtothrips dorsalis • Rhipiphorothrips cruentatus:
suck the sap from berries adults are yellowish to reddish
only brown in colour suck sap from
tender leaves. Eggs laid in slits
• serious in karnataka on lower surface of leaves
• Infested fruit surface • (I.P. 3-8 days)
develops corky layers(turn • Larvae: 11-25 days(pre-pupal and
brown patches and Pupal stage)
discolouration on surface • Nymphs: reddish
and rupturing also occurs) • Pupae: pupates at the depth of 13
which fetches low market cm in soil and undergo
value hibernation
 Nature and Symptom of damage

• Nature of damage: • Symptoms: leaves exhibit

white or silvery patches
Nymphs and adults followed by slight curling.
lacerate the tissues These patches turn brown
of tender leaves and and become large as they
coalesce. The infested
suck the sap from leaves withers and fall off
undersurface
Thrips, Rhipiphorothrips cruentatus
F. Thripidae O . Thysanoptera

Nature of
damage:

Symptom of
damage:
Incidence : May – July
 Integrated management
• Spray dimethoate @ 1.7ml/l
or
• methyl- demeton @ 1.3ml/l
or acephate@ 1g/l before
• Blue sticky traps flowering followed by carbaryl
• Rake up the soil 50 WP @ 4g/l at berry
periodically and apply formation.
carbofuron 3 G @10 g • Imida cloprid 17.8 SL @ 0.3 ml
T OR + Dichlorovos @ 0.50 ml
neem cake @ 1kg /plant OR
• Remove, pruned Thiomethaxam 25 DG @ 0.2 g
materials from main + Dichlorovos @ 0.50 ml
field and burn. OR
Azardirachtin 2ml +
Dichlorovos @ 0.50 ml
 Leaf feeding insect/ Grape flea beetle: Scleodonta
strigicollis F. Chrysomelidae O Coloeptera

Most destructive pest of grapevine, found all over the country

Adults are metallic bronze or coppery brown in colour with six black
spots on elytra ( Body is 4.5 mm long)
Adults are nocturnal, hide in the loose bark or under the soil, clods
during day time. They hibernates in cracks and crevices or loose bark
or dried leaves and become active during March. May onwards, they
feed on tender shoots and leaves and start breeding. They remain
active till the end of November. Completing 3-4 overlapping
generations.
They exhibit feigning death when disturbed.
Flea beetles, Scelodonta strigicollis
F. Chrysomelidae O Lepidoptera
• Specific pest
• Nocturnal – fail to recognize
• Metallic copper – 6 spots
Biology: Eggs: - in bark or in
soil
Nature of Damage: Grub –
roots – wilting
Adults: feed
voraciously on new buds-
Symptom:
holes on leaves
dried branches
Loss : 55 % if not cared
Flea beetles, Scelodonta strigicollis
 Biology of flea beetle:
Eggs: laid singly or in groups of 20-40 on loose bark or
beneath the loose bark or in soil(I.P. 4-8 days) 280-500
eggs are laid by a single female in her lifespan of 8- 12
months
Grubs period :upon hatching, they drop down and
spend entire life in soil and develop by feeding on
cortex of roots ( G. P. is 34-54 days) pupate in soil in
an earthen cell(PP is 7-11 days)
 Nature of damage:
Both adults and grubs are responsible for damage,
but adults are of more damaging stage. During new
flesh period they are destructive as adults feed on
leaves, buds, flowers, shoots and young fruits. The
infested buds fail to open and growth stunted and
affects yield. They feed on leaves by gnawing and
making number of holes. Characteristic longitudinal
slits on matured infested leaves,
Corky appearance on scraped berries or
encrustation, so fetches low prices.
Grubs feed on roots.
Integrated management:
Remove all loose bark
Rake up soil and expose the grubs and pupae
Set up light trap attract adults and kill
collect adult with the help of open inverted umbrella , shake the
plants , catch(feigning death) and kill. Or place white cloth at the
base of the plant , shake the plant, collect and kill the adults. Or
shake the plant by placing tray containing kerosenated water and
kill them.

Chemicals: smear or spray the carbaryl 50 WP@ 4g/l

Spray vines after pruning with Dichlorvos @1ml/l or quinalphos
@2ml/l or chlorpyriphos @2ml/l
Incidence: May – July

Management
• Remove – pruned part
• Rake the soil periodically
• Spray :
• Imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 0.3 ml + Dichlorovos @ 0.50
ml
OR
• azardirachtin 2ml + Dichlorovos @ 0.50 ml
Grape Leafhopper

• Nature of damage

• Symptom of
damage
Stem girdler, Sthenias gresator Fb.
F. Cerambycidae : O. Coleoptera)
Adults : Stout, greyish, beetle

Beetle : girdles at night the bark

of the stem & inserts
eggs in bark

Grub : moves to dried portion

A & G : damage the branches -
branches or entire plant
dries
TLC :1 year:
Stem Gridler Beetle, Sthenias grisator (C:C)

Nature of
damage:

Symptom of
damage:
Stem girdler, Sthenias gresator Fb.
F. Cerambycidae : O. Coleoptera)

It is a medium sized longicorn beetle having a peculiar habit of ringing the vines and
killing. Beetle girdles at night and insert the eggs underneath.
Gridler Beetle, Sthenias grisator (C:C)
Hosts: citrus, mulberry,
casurina, mango, jack,
rose, bougainvillea

Management :

• Attract the adults to light

traps and kill

• Swab – 0.1% carbaryl to

bark
 Stem borer (Celosterna scabrator)
F. Cerambycidae O. Lepidoptera

Male Female

Adults
Fecal Matter fallen below the plant
Grub in tunnel below &
above ground

➔
Infested Plant

Nature of
damage:

Symptom of
damage:
Healthy Plant
Healthy Plant Infested Plant
Loosening of Tunnel
 Management:
Injecting of insecticide
Dhchlorvos @2ml/l or
Chlorpyriphos @2ml/l
with squeezing bottle
 Shot hole borer, Xyloborus crassiusculus
F. Scolytidae O Coleoptera

Serious in Bijapur specially on pomegrante

• Adults brown & 2 - 3 mm size
• Grubs: whitish and bore it to trunk from the
base of plant – shot holes
Holes are plugged with fross
Pupation in stem or branch
powdery waste due to tunneling
Shot hole borer, Xyloborous pervulus E.
(Scolytidae: Coleoptera)

Nature of damage

Symptom of damage
Management:

Prevention:
1) Loose bark & swab main trunk with IIHR mixture
(carbaryl 6 g +
COC 10 g + neem oil 1 ml+ kerosene 1ml + sticker
1 ml
per lit of water) – twice a year after each pruning
2) Remove the loose bark and scrape with knife
3) Spray dichlorovos 1 ml to trunk or inject with
disposable syringe
4) cover the sprayed trunk with polythene bags for
2- 3 days
Cock- chaffer beetle: Holotrichia serrata
Adoretus bicolor
Anomala bengalensis

Problem during April May months

Adults attack leaves during night and feed and
make big holes on leaves.

Grubs feed on roots coinsiding with new flesh

formation
 Cockchafer beetle, Anomala spp

Management:
• Erecting light traps
• Spray : Fenvalerate or
Adult
Decamethrin 0.50 ml

Grub

Damage
INSECT PESTS OF POMEGRANATE
Pomegranate fruit borer, Deodorix isocrates (Fab)
 Anar butterfly:Duodorix isocrates
Lycaenidae: Coleoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Pomegranate, Apple, Ber, Guava, Citrus, Pear, Peach, Plum, Sapota,
Mulberry, soapnut tree, wood apple and Tamarind

Biology

Egg period:7-10 days

Eggs Shiny white, oval shaped, laid singly on or inside
Adult: the calyx of flower,small fruits and buds.
Meduim sized, Male glossy Larval: 18-47 days
bluish violet, Female: glossy Full grown caterpillar(17-
brownish violet in colour, 20mm)long dark brown in
orange patch(spot) on each of colour with short hairs
Pupal: 7-34 days
forewing & black spot on
Pupation: inside the fruitwhitish patches all over the
hindwing. Adults active during body
sunny morning hours to
deposit eggs
 C. POMEGRANATE
1. Anar butterfly: Deudorix (=Virachola) isocrates Fb.
(Lycaenidae: Lepidoptera)
• Adult is a medium sized, bluish brown or
coppery brown butterfly. The compound
eyes and antenna are banded with white
scales.
• The forewing has an orange coloured spot.
• There are black spots on the hind wing and Adult
a tail like projection on the anal margin.
• Adult measures about 5 cm in wing
Pupa
expanse.
• The eggs are laid singly on flowers and tender
fruits.
• The caterpillar bores into the fruit and feeds on
the internal content.
• The anal segment of the caterpillar can be seen Larva
plugging the bored hole.
• The caterpillar bores into the dried up portion.
• It is known to attack mulberry, croton, casurina,
mango etc.

Holes on fruit
Fruit get rot and Drop down
Polyphagous,Most important destructive pest,
throughout the country, cause 40-90% damage or
loss,
larval development takes place inside the fruit and
comes out after grown fully. Secure the stalk of the
fruit to the stem with a silky secretion and returns
inside for pupation.
Pupa: pupate inside or on surface of the fruit or
elsewhere( P.P 7 days)
Total Life Cycle: 1-2 months
Four Overlapping generation in an year.
Larva of D.isocrates
Egg of Deoderix isocrates

Pupae of D.isocrates
 Nature and symptom of damage
• On hatching larvae gain entry into fruit without
making any visible entry hole and feed on internal
content of fruits.
• Symptoms: Rotting inside due to secondary infection
by bacteria and fungi
• Offensice smell and excreta coming out of the entry
hole.
• Affected fruits ultimately fall down and emit an
offensive smell.
 Integrated Pest Management
Cultural method: Remove calyx from the fruits to prevent the hatching of
eggs and subsequent damage, Remove flowering weeds especially of
compopsitae
Mechanical method: Cover the fruits with perforated polythene bags (For
small scale)or muslin bags during flowering period to prevent egg laying when
fruits are upto 5 cm diameter. Collect and destroy the infested fruits having
infested or exit holes to prevent build up of population.
Biological method: Egg parasitoid: Trichogramma chilonis @ 1 .25lakh/ acre
4-5 times at 10 days intervals(gives 50% control). Larval parasitoid:
Brachymeria euploeae ( Chalcididae) attack caterpillars in natural conditions.
Spray neem oil 3% or neem seed kernel extract 5% at the time of butterfly
activity at 15 days intervals. Repeat if necessary twice at an interval of 15 days
Chemical method: Adopt ETL ( 5 eggs/ plant with bearing capacity of 60
fruits)
Spray carbaryl @4g/l, or Fenthion 1ml/l or cypermethrin 1ml/l at 15 days
intervals starting from initiation of incidence of pest
Bored holes and damage symptoms of D.isocrates
Other pests

Castor semilooper: Achaea janata, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Fruit fly: Bactrocera zonata, Tephritidae: Diptera
Aphid: Aphis punicae, Aphididae: Hemiptera
Whitefly: Siphonimus phillyreae, Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera
Mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera
Pseudococcus lilacinus, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera
Thrips: Retithrips syriacus, Thripidae: Thysanoptera
Rhipiphorothrips creuntatus, Thripidae: Thysanoptera
Bag worm: Clania crameri, Psychidae: Lepidoptera
Slug caterpillar: Parasa lepida, Cochlidiidae: Lepidoptera
Hairy caterpillar: Euproctis fraterna, Lymantriidae: Lepidoptera
Porthesia scintillans, Lymantriidae: Lepidoptera
 Defoliator, Euproctis fraterna

Fruit sucking moth, Eudocima fullonia

 Myllocerus discolor
Pentatomid bug, Hyalomorpha picus
 Bark Borer: Indarbela tetraonis
(Metarbelidae: Lepidoptera
• This pest is found damaging a variety of plants
including a number of fruit trees, forest trees
and ornamentals all over India.It attack trees
of all ages, particularly the older ones,
lowering their vitality. When severely infested,
the entire branch or tree may die. old, shady
and neglected orchards are more prone to
attack by this pest.
• Larvae feed on the bark and weaken the tree.
• Adult: The moth is light grey in colour with
dark brown dots and measures about mm
with expanded wings.Larvae: The full grown
caterpillar is dirty brown in colour and is about
mm in length.
• Symptoms:The attack by this pest is characterized by
the presence of long-winding, thick, blackish or
brownish ribbon-like masses composed of small
chips of wood and excreta. Young trees may succumb
to the attack.
• Caterpillars bore into the trunk or junction of
branches. Caterpillars remain hidden in the tunnel
during day time and come out at night, feed on the
bark. By continuously devouring the tissues, as it
tunnels through the stem and branches. This injury
weakens the stem, resulting in drying of the
branches and finally of the tree itself.
• Nature of damage: The attack by this pest is
characterized by the presence of long-
winding, thick, blackish or brownish ribbon-
like masses composed of small chips of wood
and excreta.
Damaging symptoms by larva of Bark eating caterpillar
Indarbela quadrinotata Family: Metarbelidae Order Lepidoptera
• Management
• Remove and destroy dead and severely affected branches of the
tree
• Remove alternate host, silk cotton and other hosts
• Swab Coal tar + Kerosene @ 1:2 or Carbaryl 50 WP 20 g / lit of
water on the basal portion of the trunk up to 3 feet height
• Scraping the loose bark to prevent oviposition by adult beetles.
• Padding with monocrotophos 36 WSC 10 ml in 2.5 cm /tree
soaked in absorbent cotton.
• If infestations are severe then apply the copper oxychloride paste
on the trunk of the tree.
• Hook out the grub from the bore hole
• After apply monocrotophos 36 WSC 10 to 20 ml/ hole
• Apply carbofuran 3G 5 g per hole and plug with mud.
Ambrosia beetle: Xyleborus similis
F.Scolitidae O Coleoptera
 2. Shot hole borers: Xyleborus parvulus E.; X. perforans Wollastan
(Scolytidae : Coleoptera)
• These are small brown to dark
brown beetles measuring about 2-
3 mm in length.
• The female lays oval shaped Pupa Larva
creamy white eggs singly in the
bark.
• The whitish grub bores into the
trunk exhibiting shot holes.
• These holes are plugged with
brown coloured frass. Egg
adult
• Infested plant wilts in severe case.
• The grub pupates in the stem or
Xyloborus . perforans
branch.
• X. perforans is reported from
Bijapur for the first time in the
World.
Other pests

Castor semilooper: Achaea janata, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

Fruit fly: Bactrocera zonata, Tephritidae: Diptera
Aphid: Aphis punicae, Aphididae: Hemiptera
Whitefly: Siphonimus phillyreae, Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera
Mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera
Pseudococcus lilacinus, Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera
Thrips: Retithrips syriacus, Thripidae: Thysanoptera
Rhipiphorothrips creuntatus, Thripidae: Thysanoptera
Bag worm: Clania crameri, Psychidae: Lepidoptera
Slug caterpillar: Parasa lepida, Cochlidiidae: Lepidoptera
Hairy caterpillar: Euproctis fraterna, Lymantriidae: Lepidoptera
Porthesia scintillans, Lymantriidae: Lepidoptera
Spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus
Adult Leaf eating caterpillar, Trabala vishnu
Family: Lasiocampidae Order: Lepidoptera
Life stages of Trabala.vishnu
Family: Lasiocampidae
Defoliator, Euproctis fraterna

Fruit sucking moth, Eudocima fullonia

Aphis punicae
Planococcus
 3. Hairy caterpillar: Trabala vishnou L. (Lasiocampidae: Lepidoptera)

• Adult is a medium sized moth with light greenish wings.

• The full grown caterpillar is grayish brown in colour and covered
with thick tuft of brownish hairs.
• Pupation takes place in the saddle shaped cocoon.
• The caterpillars feed on leaves and tender shoots.
Caterpillar
Adult

Pupa
Female Male
4. Fruit sucking moths: Eudocima (=Othreis) fullonia (Linn.); Eudocima
(=Othreis) materna (Linn.); Eudocima (=Othreis) ancilla Linn. (Noctuidae:
Lepidoptera)

Refer under Citrus

Adult

Male (left) and female (right) Caterpillars

E.fullonia Eudocima (=Othreis) fullonia (Linn.)
Eudocima (=Othreis) materna (Linn.);

Eggs
Eudocima (=Othreis) ancilla Linn.
5. Pomegranate aphid: Aphis punicae (Aphididae:
Homoptera) It is pale green in colour.
• Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from tender
shoots
 Aphids
• Pale green coloured aphids, Both nymphs
and adults suck the sap from leaves and
tender twigs, in severe cases flowers and fruits
are also attacked. Excrete large quantity of
honeydew, plants become sticky.
Damage of symptoms
Management

Install Yellow sticky traps

• Biological method:
• Predators: Coccinellids:Scymnus castaneus,
menochilus sexmaculatus,
• Syrphids: Paragus serratus wipe out the
aphids within two months
• Release Chrysoperla zastrowi gives good
control of pests
Chemical control: NSKE 5%, malathion 2ml/l
during new flesh formation
 6. Pomegranate white fly: Siphoninus phyllireae
((Aleyrodidae: Homoptera) It infests in large numbers
on the undersurface of leaves.
Siphoninus phyllireae

Adult Nymph Egg mass

Damage symtpoms
 Management
• parasitoid Encarsia azimi (Aphelinidae)
7. Pomegranate thrips: Rhipiphorothrips cruentatus, Retithrips
syriacus (Thripidae : Thysanoptera)

Attacks leaves and fruits.

Rhipiphorothrips Retithrips syriacus

cruentatus Hood
Eggs
PESTS OF SAPOTA
 LEAF FEEDER

Leaf webber or chickoo moth: Nephopteryx eugraphella

Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
All Over India

Host range
Sapota and Cured Tobacco

Biology
Egg period: 2-11 days
Eggs laid in groups
Adult: Pale yellow, oval shaped
Greyish moth– fore wings Larval:
with brown or black spots
Pinkish in colour with dorsolateral
Hind wings: semi hyaline brown stripes on each side
TLC: 26-92 days Pupal:8-9 days
Pupation: inside leaf web
Management

Remove and destruct the infested fruits from the orchard

Collect and remove the dried clusters of leaf web

Insecticides: phosalone 35 EC 0.07% or carbaryl 50 WP 0.1%

SAP FEEDERS

Castor whitefly: Trialeurodes ricini

Aleyrodidae:Hemiptera
Distribution
All over India

Host range
Sapota and Castor

Biology

Eggs laid in clusters on the undersurface of leaves

Nymphal : four instars
Adult: pale yellow with white wings covered with waxy powder
TLC: 19-21 days
Striped mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata,
Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Cotton, Bhendi, Jute, Tobacco, Betelvine,
Tomato, Amaranthus, Sapota, Guava, Pomogranate

Biology

Egg period: 3-4 hours Nymphal: 26-47 days

185 – 409 eggs/ female

Adult
Female longevity: 36-53
Male: 1-3 days
Management

Spray methyl demeton 25 EC@ 0.05%or dimethoate 30 EC @ 0.06%

Bud worm: Anarsia epotias, Gelechiidae:

Lepidoptera
Other pests

Borers

Fruit fly: Bactocera dorsalis, Tephritidae: Diptera

Leaf feeders

Hairy caterpillar: Metanastria hyrtaca, Lasiocampidae: Lepidoptera

Grey weevil: Myllocerus undecimpustulatus, Curculionidae: Coleoptera

leaf twisting weevil:Apoderus tranquebaricus, Curculionidae:Coleoptera

Leaf miner: Acrocercops syngaramma, Gracillaridae: Lepidoptera

Sap feeder

Guava scale: Chloropulvinaria psidii, Coccidae: Hemiptera

Sapota Seed Borer, Trymalitis margarias Meyrick ( Tortricidae : Lepidoptera)
B. SAPOTA

1. Leaf webber: Nephopteryx eugraphella Rag. (Phycitidae: Lepidoptera)

• Moth is grayish in colour and lays pale yellow eggs on leaves

singly.

• Larva is pinkish, webs and feeds on the leaves.

2. Bud worm: Anarsia sp. (Gelechiidee: Lepidoptera)

• Adult moth is grey coloured and hind wings are fringed.

• Caterpillar is small, slender, pinkish brown with yellowish brown prothoracic shield
and black head.
• Caterpillar webs together floral buds or flowers and feed on them.

Adult Larva

Affected bud
3. Sapota seed borer: Trymalitis margarias (Tortricidae: Lepidoptera)

• The newly hatched caterpillar borers

inside the fruit, which is just of arecaut
size.
• The caterpillar then enters inside the
seed of the fruit and completes its life
cycle there only.
• Population on green leaf or even on
dried fallen leaves on the ground.
Larva
 Damaged sapota fruit

Damaged seed kernel of sapota Adult moth of sapota seed borer

 4. Hairy caterpillar: Metanastria hyrtaca C. (Lasiocampidae: Lepidoptera)

• Female moth has grayish brown

wings and is stout.
• The male is smaller and has a white
spot in the centre of a black patch
on forewings.
• Antenna is pectinate.
• Long stout grayish hairy caterpillar
has a black head and a median
dorsal brownish band extending to
second abdominal segment.
• Caterpillars feed on
leaves voraciously.
 LEAF FEEDER

Leaf webber or chickoo moth: Nephopteryx eugraphella

Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
All Over India

Host range
Sapota and Cured Tobacco

Biology
Egg period: 2-11 days
Eggs laid in groups
Adult: Pale yellow, oval shaped
Greyish moth– fore wings Larval:
with brown or black spots
Pinkish in colour with dorsolateral
Hind wings: semi hyaline brown stripes on each side
TLC: 26-92 days Pupal:8-9 days
Pupation: inside leaf web
Management

Remove and destruct the infested fruits from the orchard

Collect and remove the dried clusters of leaf web

Insecticides: phosalone 35 EC 0.07% or carbaryl 50 WP 0.1%

SAP FEEDERS

Castor whitefly: Trialeurodes ricini

Aleyrodidae:Hemiptera
Distribution
All over India

Host range
Sapota and Castor

Biology

Eggs laid in clusters on the undersurface of leaves

Nymphal : four instars
Adult: pale yellow with white wings covered with waxy powder
TLC: 19-21 days
Striped mealy bug: Ferrisia virgata,
Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Cotton, Bhendi, Jute, Tobacco, Betelvine,
Tomato, Amaranthus, Sapota, Guava, Pomogranate

Biology

Egg period: 3-4 hours Nymphal: 26-47 days

185 – 409 eggs/ female

Adult
Female longevity: 36-53
Male: 1-3 days
Management

Spray methyl demeton 25 EC@ 0.05%or dimethoate 30 EC @ 0.06%

Bud worm: Anarsia epotias, Gelechiidae:

Lepidoptera
Other pests

Borers

Fruit fly: Bactocera dorsalis, Tephritidae: Diptera

Leaf feeders

Hairy caterpillar: Metanastria hyrtaca, Lasiocampidae: Lepidoptera

Grey weevil: Myllocerus undecimpustulatus, Curculionidae: Coleoptera

leaf twisting weevil:Apoderus tranquebaricus, Curculionidae:Coleoptera

Leaf miner: Acrocercops syngaramma, Gracillaridae: Lepidoptera

Sap feeder

Guava scale: Chloropulvinaria psidii, Coccidae: Hemiptera

Sapota Seed Borer, Trymalitis margarias Meyrick ( Tortricidae : Lepidoptera)
 Sapota
• Origin The fruit is a native of Mexico and other
tropical countries of South America

• Area & Production

• The area -25,824 hectares and Production
3.38 lakh tones
• Sapota grown in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
 Pests of sapota
1.Borers:
Leaf Webber Nephopteryx eugraphylla
(Pyralidae : Lepidoptera )
Adult moth- grayish with fore wing having brown or black
spots And hind wings semi hyaline.

Eggs –The female lays pale yellow, oval shaped eggs in

groups or singly on leaves and buds of Young shoots.
Fecundity's – 374 eggs per female.

Egg period - 2-11 days

.

Larvae: grayish in colure With three

dorsolateral brown Stripes
on each side.
Pupation : leaf webs (8-9 days).
Total life cycle : 26-92 days, there are 7-9
overlapping generation per year. The
maximum activity of pests is seen during
June - July.
Host plant :sapoto and cured tobacco
Damage - The caterpillar webs together the larvae scrape the leaf
tissue and it is also bores inside the buds, flowers and some time
tender fruits become withered and shed.

Presence of clusters of dead leaves are the typical symptoms of

attack.

Management :
• Remove and destroy the infested fruits from the orchard.
• Collect and remove the dried clusters of leaf web.
• Spray phasalone 35 EC, 2ml / litter of water,
carboryl 50 WP. 1 kg /500 litter of water.
• The pupa parasitised -chalcid, Brachymaria spp .
 Chiku Bud Borer Anarsia epotias (Gelechidae :
Lepidoptera )

Adult moth is grey coloured with block

patche on wing.

Larvae is small, slender, pinkish brown with

black head and yellowish Browne thoracic
shield.

Damage : the caterpillar bores into the

flowers buds by webbing the floral buds
and flower together.
 The highest per cent bud infestation due to bud borer was
found during the month of February to May.

Management :

• 2 Sprays of Monocrotophos @ 0.05% at 15 days interval can

effectively control the pest.
• Application of 0.05 per cent Dichlorvos,
0.0075 per cent cypermethrin
0.1 per cent malathion
found promising in checking infestation of bud borer.

• The pest can also be controlled by using light traps.

 Fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis.,
B. zonatus. ( Tephritidae : Diptera )

The adult generally bright yellow, the

wings are clear, the female has a pointed
slender ovipositor.

Eggs-under the skin of host fruit and are

minute cylinders laid in batches.

The maggots are creamy-white

legless, and may attain a length of
10 mm inside host fruit.
Damage: The female punctures the outer wall of

mature fruits and lays eggs inside the fruit. The

larvae on maturity feed on the pulp of the fruit,
which appears normal from outside. Peak period
of infestation is between March and July.
[[
 Control measures
• Deep ploughing in summer destroys the fruit fly
pupae.

• Install 10 fruit fly traps/ha containing a mixture of 1

ml of methyl eugenol, which acts as attractant and 1
ml of malathion 50 EC (insecticide) in one litre of
water i.e. 100 ml of solution in each trap.

• Spray Dimethoate 30 EC at 1.7 ml/lit with 10 g of

jaggery/lit of water during fruit ripening period.
 2. Leaf feeder

Hairy caterpillar Metanastria hyrtaca

(Eupterotidae : Lepidoptera)
The adult moth is yellowish with pale
transverse lines on the fore wing.
The larvae is yellow colourd with brown
head , yellow stripe with a central red
line on the body and tuff of black hairs
dorsally.
Damage : the caterpillar webs the
inflorescence and feed on them causing
shedding of flowers .
Management :
When young larvae are noticed, spray with
monocrotophos 36 WSC 0.05% @1.5 ml/l
carbaryl 50 WP 0.1% @2g/l spraying should be
done in evening hours.
Leaf twisting weevil Apoderus tranquebaricus
( Curculionidae : Coleoptera )
The adult weevil is medium seized, reddish brown with a
large snout.

Eggs are laid in each leaf roll. The grub pupates with in the
leaf roll.

Damage : the adult weevil has the habit of cutting and

twisting the sapota leaves. The grub feed on the leaf
tissue with in leaf roll.
 Management :
Spray Monocrotophos at 1.25ml, or
Quinalphos 2.0 ml per litter of water to
check the spread of infestation.
 Leaf Miner Acrocercops syngrammo
(Gracillaridae : Lepidoptera )

• The infestation is mainly seen during the rainy season and

young leaves stage. The maggots feed inside the leaves by
leaving characteristic mines. The upper portion of the affected
leaves turns white in colour and dry in case of severe damage.

• Control : Spraying done at October – November with

Monocrotophos WSC 0.05 % @ 1.5ml/l.
 3. Sap feeders
Whitefly Trialeurodes ricini
( Aleyrodidae : Homoptera)

• Adults are pale yellow with white wings covered with waxy
powder
• Eggs: lays in clusters on the under surface of leaves
• Nymphs undergoes four instars.
• life cycle is completed in 19-21 days.

Damage : water soaked spots on the leaves which become

yellow and dried.
The colonies of whitefly present on under surface of leaves.
 Striped mealy bug Ferrisia virgata
(Psedococcidae : Hemiptera )
• The mealy bugs are present in colonies on the lower surface of
the leaves and near the stalk of the fruit.

• Nymphs and adults suck the sap from the leaves and fruits. In
case of severe infestation the leaves turn yellowish and fruiting
is affected.
• The bugs secrete honeydew like substance, which facilitate the
development of the sooty mould.

Control : 2-3 sprayings of Methyl parathion (0.05%) or

Phosphamidon (0.03%) at an interval of
15 days controls the pest effectively.
 PESTS OF BANANA
•Rhizome weevil:Cosmopolites sordidus :
Curculionidae: Colepotera
•Pseudostem weevil:Odoiporus longicollis :
Curculionidae: Colepotera

Leaf caterpillar: Spodoptera litura,

Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

•Banana leaf roller :Erionata torus ,

Hespiridae: Lepidoptera
Banana aphid: Pentalonia nigronervosa,
Aphididae: Homoptetra
•Thrips
BORERS
Rhizome weevil:Cosmopolites sordidus
Curculionidae:Coleoptera
Distribution
India, South East Asia, Australia, South Africa and Tropical America
Host range
Banana and cocoa

Biology

Egg period: 5-8 days, 30-50 eggs/ female

Eggs laid in small burrow made on the plant at ground
level.
Adult:
Black coloured weevil Grub: 25 days
Longevity: one year Apodus and yellowish with
reddish head
Pupal: 6 days
Pupation: pupal chamber near the surface of corm
and change into pupa within
• Nature of damage:

• Symptom of damage:
 Banana rhizome weevil,
Cosmopolites sordidus G.
(Curculionidae: Coleoptera)
Adult is dark brown to black
coloured beetle with elongate
snout and geniculate antennae.
 Management
Trap adult weevil with pseudostem chopped into small
pieces in a pot and place 15 pots/ ha
Uproot and destroy the infested rhizomes from the field
Use pest free suckers for planting
Apply carbofuran 3 G 10 g/ plant at the time of planting
By paring and pralinage method apply carbofuran 3 G
10 g, phorate
10 G 5g or lindane 1.3 D 20g or carbaryl 10 D 10-20g/
plant at planting
 Pseudostem borer:Odoiporus longicollis
Curculionidae: Coleoptera
Distribution
India and South East Asia

Host range
Banana

Biology
Egg period: 3-5 days
Eggs laid in the area of the pseudostem about 1-1.5
metres above the ground level
Adult:
Grub:27 days
Reddish brown and
Apodus grub
black weevil

Pupal: : 24 days
Pupation: inside the tunnel towards the periphery
• Nature of damage:

• Symptom of damage:
 IPM for borers
Remove dried leaves periodically and keep the field clean
Prune the side suckers every month
Use healthy and pest free suckers to check the pest incidence
Spray monocrotophos 36 SL @ 0.036%
Dilute 50 ml of monocrotophos 36 SL with 500 ml of water and
inject 4ml ( 2ml at 45 cm from ground level; another 2m at 150 cm
from ground level) in the pseudostem at monthly intervals from 5
to 8 month
Do not dump infested materials into manure pit
Uproot infested trees, chop into pieces and burn
SAP FEEDER
Banana aphid: Pentalonia nigronervosa
Aphididae: Hemiptera
Distribution
Australia, India and Srilanka
* Vector – bunchy top of
Host range banana
Banana, cardamom and Caladium sp

Biology

Reproduction by parthenogenesis
Adult - winged and wingless forms
32-50 young ones produced /female
Four instars – 8-9 days
Banana bunchy top disease
transmitted by aphid, Pentalonia
nigronervosa
• Nature of damage:

• Symptom of damage:
 Leaf caterpillar:
Spodoptera litura,
Noctuidae: Lepidoptera

These are smooth cater pillars. In the young stages, they

can be seen in masses on the leaves scraping the green
matter resulting in scarring on the leaves . If severe, apply any contact
insecticide at the leaf axils like
Grown up caterpillars hide in the leaf axils or at the Quinalphos 25EC 1.5
plant base in soil or undersurface of dried leaves and
bore the emerging leaf entering from the leaf axils.
This results in occurrence of bore holes in a pattern as
the leaf unfurls
he caterpillar feeds on the young leaves causing shot holes
and eaten up areas.

This considerably reduce the photosynthetic area and

thereby growth and development.
Banana skipper: Erionata torus
Family: Hespiridae Order: Lepidoptera

It is also known as banana leaf roller as the caterpillar typically cuts

the leaves at the edges and makes a series of cylindrical rolls before
metamorphosing in to pupa and then to a butterfly.

Heavy infestation can damage the whole banana leaf, leaving only
the midrib intact.

Usually, banana plants can tolerate up to 20% defoliation

However, severe defoliation saving only the midrib can cause

considerable reduction in photosynthetic efficiency of plant
resulting in a decreased
bunch size and weight.

These butterflies are also known to infest palms occasionally

Nature of damage

Symptom of damage
E. torus laid most of the eggs singly (70%) compared to groups (30%). Each egg mass
contained on an average of 10.80–0.96 eggs (Range: 1-22 eggs).

Freshly laid eggs were pinkish red in colour and changed to creamy white before
hatching.

The neonate larva was pale green and

clothed with short, silky hairs sparsely.

The head was black, and heart-shaped in frontal view. As in all hesperiid larvae, there
was a conspicuous neck.

The thorax directly behind the head and is much narrower compared to the head.

The larva soon covered with a white, waxy powder and the fully-grown white
powder-coated caterpillar reaches a length of about 4-6 cm and pupated in the leaf
rolls itself in a typical chrysalis cocoon form.

The slender pupa is yellow-brown and covered with the same waxy powder as the
larva and has a long proboscis that reaches to the tip of the abdomen and is free
from where it leaves the wing sheaths
The adult butterfly that emerges from the cocoon is brown in colour with conspicuous pale
yellow, semi-hyaline spots on the fore wings.

Understanding the behavioral aspects of this butterfly and a search for locally occurring
indigenous parasitoids and their inundative releases will bring back the equilibrium of pest
with the host plant and keep it under check.
Banana skipper: Erionata torus
Family: Hespiridae Order: Lepidoptera
 Management

destroy diseased plants with rhizome

Spray methyl demeton 25 EC 0.05% or monocrotophos 36 SL 0.072%
Direct the spray towards the crown and pseudostem base upto ground
level at 21 days interval at least thrice
Inject monocrotophos 36 SL 1ml/plant (1ml diluted in 4 ml of water) at
45 days interval from the 3rd month till flowering
Avoid injection of monocrotophos after flowering
Encourage activity of predators: Scymnus, Chilomenes sexmaculatus,
Chrysoperla carnea and other coccinellids; entomopathogens,
Beauveria bassiana
Thrips

Rust thrips: Cheatanophothrips signipennis Bagnall

(Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
Leaf thrips: Helionothrips kadaliphilus Ramak (Thysanoptera:
Thripidae)
Flower thrips: Thrips florum Schumtz (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
 Rust thrips: Cheatanophothrips signipennis
Bagnall (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

DAMAGE
The appearance of feeding damage caused by banana rust thrips varies with host plant species. In most cases, thrips prefer to feed
on very young, succulent, immature fruits, flowers, and foliage.On Dracaena and ti (Figure 1a), thrips can be observed feeding in the
whorls of immature leaves, causing discoloration and silvering (characterized by long, white streaks) as well as random squiggles or
curly-cues near the petiole end of developed, unfurled leaves. Also, particularly on red ti varieties, the immature leaves may fail to
unfurl and thus appear as deformed leaf whorls (Figure 1b).
On anthurium, banana rust thrips damage appears as white streaks or scarring on the front and back of the spathe, deformed
spathes, and, with age, bronzing of injured tissue (Figure 1c). In severe cases, mature anthurium spathes fail to open, reduced plant
growth may occur, and the foliage may be affected by deformity, bronzing and streaking. Damage by banana rust thrips to certain
anthurium cultivars, such as ‘Kalapana’ and ‘Ozaki’, may appear as curly-cues rather than streaks.
On banana, feeding damage is observed on the pseudostem, but it is the injury to the fruit that significantly affects marketability
(Figure 2). Thrips feeding in leaf sheaths results in characteristic dark, V-shaped marks to the outer surface of leaf petioles.
Damaged tissue becomes bronze or rust-colored with age. Feeding damage to the fruit occurs on fingers soon after flower petals
dry, typified initially by a water-soaked appearance. Young fruits may exhibit dark, smoky-colored random squiggles or curly-cue
feeding tracks on the surface. On mature fruit, oval-shaped, reddish “stains” may be seen where the fingers touch. Extensive
damage may cover more of the fruit surface with reddish-brown or black discoloration and superficial cracks. Though unmarketable,
such fruits are still edible.
• Nature of damage:

• Symptom of damage:
MANAGEMENT
NON-CHEMICAL CONTROL
Biological
In Hawai`i, anthocorid bugs (Orius tristicolor, O. persequens, and O. insidiosus) are general thrips predators, but the extent of their
effectiveness against banana rust thrips is not known. Some lacewings, ladybird beetles, and predacious mites may also exert some
control on nymph and adult thrips, while ants may prey on prepupae and pupae in the soil, medium or surface debris near the base of
the host plant. Several fungi, including Paecilomyces spp. and Verticillium lecanii, have been isolated from other thrips species and
may infect banana rust thrips as well.
Cultural
Remove infested flowers and foliage from the field or shadehouse to eliminate sources of thrips. Discard old stock plants that may
harbor thrips, and obtain thrips-free propagative material for restocking.
There are no reports of resistant or susceptible anthurium cultivars, although injury is more noticeable on pastel shaded cultivars
such as ‘Marian Seefurth’.
In banana plantings, covering bunches with polyethylene bags during fruit development provides a physical barrier to insect
infestations; but bags cannot fully protect the fruit when a thrips infestation is heavy.
Biorational
A hot water dip at 120o F (49o C) for 10 minutes before planting can disinfest anthurium propagative material of banana rust thrips.
Banana, dracaena, ti and anthurium have all shown potential for heat treatment, although cultivar sensitivity has been observed to
vary with season. Tests indicated that some anthurium cultivars tolerate hot water treatment as top cuttings with leaves, including:
‘White Lady’, ‘Blushing Bride’, and ‘Kozohara, while ‘Ozaki’ cultivar cannot tolerate hot water dip except as whole stem pieces (gobo).
The dracaena cultivar ‘Janet Craig’ was also tolerant of hot-water treatment. Due to variations among cultivars and growing
conditions, small-scale phytotoxicity tests should be conducted before a large amount of propagative material is hot-water treated.
CHEMICAL CONTROL
Because pesticide registrations may change, consult a chemical sales
representative, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, or the CTAHR Cooperative
Extension Service for information on insecticides currently approved for use against
thrips in a particular crop.
Remove infested flowers and foliage from the field or shadehouse to allow increased
insecticide penetration and coverage. Growers have reported that banana rust
thrips tends to be more difficult to control than anthurium thrips, possibly due to the
former’s pesticide tolerance and greater reproductive capacity. Growers are
advised to consider insect development of pesticide resistance in devising their
integrated pest management practices.
Generally, thrips populations increase during the summer and decrease
during the winter due to fluctuations in temperature and rainfall.
Consequently, repeated spray applications may be needed only from
May through August. Foliar sprays are usually applied two to three
times at 2-week intervals for moderate to severe thrips infestations.
Since thrips prefer young, growing plant tissue, direct insecticide sprays
to the area of bud development, or in anthurium, to the base of the
plant where the spathes develop. Use caution when applying
insecticides on anthurium, becauses phytotoxicity varies among
cultivars and is more likely to occur under hot, dry growing conditions.
When thrips injury is sutained during the bud stage, injured flowers will
be harvested for at least one month following application of an effective
insecticide.
In banana, spraying the immature bunches and the surrounding soil
can significantly reduce thrips damage to the fruit; when bagging
bunches, spray just before bagging. A contact granular insecticide
applied in a 30-inch radius around each banana plant is effective
against the prepupal and pupal stages of banana rust thrips that inhabit
the soil. No granular insecticide is currently registered for use on
anthuriums.
Leaf thrips: Helionothrips kadaliphilus Ramak
(Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
Other pests

Fruit fly: Bactrocera dorsalis, Tephritidae: Diptera

Lace wing bug: Stephanitis typicus, Tingidae: Hemiptera
Scale: Aspidiotus destructor, Diaspididae: Hemiptera
Fruit rust thrips: Chaetanaphothrips signipennis,Thripidae:
Thysanoptera
Flower thrips: Thrips florum, Thripidae: Thysanoptera
Leaf thrips:Helionothrips kadaliphilus, Thripidae: Thysanoptera
Panthaetothrips indicus, Thripidae: Thysanoptera
Spittle bug: Phymatostetha deschampsi, Cercopidae:Hemiptera
Leaf caterpillar: Spodoptera litura, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera
Bag worm: Kophene cuprea, Psychidae: Lepidoptera
Leaf beetle: Nodostoma subcostatum, Eumolphidae:Coleoptera
PESTS OF APPLE
SAP FEEDERS
 Woolly aphid:Eriosoma lanigarum
Pemphigidae: Hemiptera
Distribution : All over India
Host range : Apple

Biology
Reproduction mostly by parthenogenesis
116 young one produced by a female in her life time
Nymphal period: 35- 42 days
Nymphs – five instars
Wingless form – present through out the year
winged form – from July to October
Adult – purplish aphid covered with white cottony mats
 Management

Use tolerant or resistant root stocks: M 778, M 779, MM 14, MM

110,

MM 112, M 114 and MM 115

Release the parasitoid: Aphelinus mali

Predators: Chilomenus bijugus and Coccinella septumpunctata

Insecticides:dimethoate 30 EC 0.06% or methyl demeton 25 EC

0.025%

in March – April and June

 San jose scale: Quadraspidiotus perniciosus
Diaspididae: Hemiptera
Distribution: All over India * Nymphal hibernation

Host range :Apple, Cherry, Plum, Pear, Peach and other temperate fruits
Biology
Female – ovo-viviparous and produces 200 – 400 nymphs
Crawlers secrete waxy covering in about 4 days
Nymphal period: 20 days
Female – yellowish orange, round, slightly convex with a
black pustule
Male – small and linear in shape
TLC: 35-40 days
 Management
Select nursery stock free scale infestation

Encourage the activity of parasitoids: Prospaltella perniciosi and

Aspidiotophagus sp and coccinellid, Chilocorus circumdatus
predator

Fumigate nursery stock with HCN gas or methyl bromide

Summer spray with phosalone 50 EC 0.05% or fenitrothion 50 EC

0.05% or methyl demeton 25 EC 0.025%

Winter spray with diesel oil emulsion at 8-12 l/ tree ( diesel oil 4.5
l, soap 1 kg, water 54 -72 l)
LEAF FEEDER
 Tent caterpillar: Malacosoma indica
Lasiocampidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution :All over India

Host range: Apple

Biology
Egg period: 3-5 days
Eggs laid in masses of 300 – 400
on branches
Adult: Larval: 40-70 days
Light brown Larva with blak head and
moth abdomen
Pupal: 7-21 days
Pupation: in cocoon on stem
 Management

Destroy all the egg batches on the branches

during pruning

Insecticides: Carbaryl 50 WP 0.2%

Other pests
Codling moth: Corpocapsa pomonella, Torticidae: Lepidoptera
Indian gypsy moth: Lymantria dofuscata, Lymantriidae: Lepidoptera
Fruit sucking moth: Calpe aphideroides, Noctuidae: Lepidoptera
Leaf miner: Gracillaria zachrysa, Gracillaridae: Lepidoptera
Leaf roller:Cacoecia sarcostega, Torticidae: Lepidoptera
Psyllid: Psylla mali, Psyllidae: Hemiptera
Cottony cushion scale: Icerya purchasi, Margarodidae: Hemiptera
Blossom thrips: Tachniothrips rhopalatennalis, Thripidae: Thysanoptera
Fruit fly: Bactrocera sp., Tephritidae: Diptera
Root borer: Dorysthenus hugelii, Cerambycidae: Coleoptera
Stem borer: Apriona cinerea, Lamiidae: Coleoptera
Stem borer: Aeolasthes holosericea, Cerambycidae: Coleoptera
European red mite: Panonychus ulmi, Tetranychidae: Acarina
PESTS OF GRAPES
BORER
Stem girdler: Sthenias grisator,
Cerambycidae: Coleoptera
Distribution
India and Srilanka

Host range
Grapevine, Rose, Jamun, Almond, Cashew nut, Guava, Jack, Mango and
Crotons,

Biology
Egg period: 8 days
Adult Eggs – oval and enveloped in a white
Greyish brown beetle with parchment like covering
white and brown irregular Eggs laid in between barks and sapwood
marking resembling the bark
Grub: 7-8 months
colour
Dark brown head and
Elytra: elliptical greyish Pupal: mouth with prominent
median spot and an eye Pupation: inside the tunnel mandibles
shaped patch
Management

Remove loose bark at the time of pruning to prevent egg laying

Collect and destroy damaged plant parts

Swab trunk with carbaryl 50 WP 2g/ lit

Insecticides: phosalone 35 EC 0.07% or quinalphos 25 EC 0.05% or

carbaryl 50 WP 0.1%, first round immediately after pruning and repeat it 2-

3 times
LEAF FEEDER
Flea beetle:Scelodonta strigicollis
Eumolphidae: Coleoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Grapevine, Sapota, Guava and Ber

Biology
Egg period:4 - 8 days
Eggs laid beneath the bark in groups of 20 – 40.
Adult: Fecundity: 220 – 569 eggs/ female
Shiny beetle with a
metallic bronze colour Grub: 34-45 days
and black patches on
elytra
Pupal:7-11 days
Pupation: in an earthen cell
Management
Remove the loose bark at the time of pruning to prevent egg laying

Shake vines to dislodge adult beetles into trays containing kerosenated

water and destroy them

Insecticide: phosalone 35 EC 0.07% or endosulfan 35 EC 0.07%after

pruning
 SAP FEEDERS

Thrips: Rhipiphorothrips cruentatus,

Thripidae: Thysanoptera
Distribution
All over India * Pupal hibernation in soil in North India
Host range
Grapevine, Rose, Jamun, Almond, Cashew nut, Guava, and Mango

Biology
Egg period: 3-8 days
Eggs laid on the undersurface of leaves.
Adult: Fecundity: 50 eggs/ female
Minute, blackish
brown,with yellowish Nymph: 9-20 days
wings Reddish to yellowish brown in
colour
Pupal:2-5 days
Pupation: on leaves
Management

Collect and destroy damaged leaves, fruits and flowers

Insecticides: methyl demeton 25 EC or 0.05% or dimethoate 30 EC 0.06%

Mealy bug: Maconellicoccus hirsutus
Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Grapevine, Mulbery, Guava, Custard Apple, Okra, Tamarind, Gliricidea and
Hibiscus

Biology
350 –500 eggs deposited in a loose cottony terminal ovisac
Eggs – orange in colour
Egg period: 5-10 days
Crawlers – orange in colour
Female – three instars
Male – four instars
Adult –pinkish and sparsely covered with white wax
 Management
Debark vines and branches and apply methyl parathion paste
Use sticky traps on fruit – bearing shoots at a length of 5 CM
Collect damaged bark, leaves, twigs and stems along with mealy bug colonies and
destroy
Use dichlorvos 76 WSC 0.15% in combination with fish oil rosin soap (25g//) as
spray or dipping fruits for 2 min
Soil application of aldicarb 10 G/ vine around the base at time of pruning
Release exotic predator, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri @ 10 beetles/vine, 3 releases
depending on mealy bug population
Insecticides: dimethoate 30 EC plus kerosene oil at 150 ml plus 250 ml respectively in
100 ml of water or carbaryl 50WP 0.05% or malathion 50 EC 0.1% or monocrotophos
36 SL 0.072%
Apply quinalphos or methyl parathion dust in the soil at 25 kg/ ha to kill phoretic
ants
Natural enemies: Predators, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, Scymnus craccivora,
Mallada boninensis, Spalgis epius, Cacoxenus perspicax, Triommato craccidivora
 Contd..,

Parasitoids: Anagrus dactylopii,

Allotropa sp nr. Japonica
Gyanusoidea mirzai,
Alamella flava
Other pests

Leaf roller: Sylepta lunalis, Pyraustidae: Lepidoptera

Sphingid: Hippotion celerio, Sphingidae: Lepidoptera

Leaf miner: Phyllocnistis toporcha, Gracillariidae: Lepidoptera

Chaffer beetle: Adoretus lasiopygus,Rutelidae: Coleoptera

Berry thrips: Scirtothrips dorsalis, Thripidae: Thysanoptera

Plume moth: Oxyptilus regulus, Pterophoridae: Lepidoptera

Whitefly: Aleurocanthus spiniferus, Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera

Fruit piercing moth: Othreis ancilla, Noctuidae:Lepidoptera

O. fullonica, Noctuidae:Lepidoptera

O.materna, Noctuidae:Lepidoptera

Castor semilooper: Achaea janata, Noctuidae:Lepidoptera

PESTS OF BER
 Fruit fly: Carpomyia vesuviana
Tephritidae: Diptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Ber

Biology
Egg period: 2-3 days
Adult Eggs laid in cavities made on the fruit by
Small black - spotted the ovipositor, 22 eggs laid by a female
fly with banded wings
Maggot: 7-10 days

Pupal: 15-30 days

Pupation: Soil
Management
Cultivate fruit fly resistant varieties such as Safeda Ilaichi, Chinese,
Sanaur –1, Marchia, Tikadi and Umran
Collect and destroy fallen and infested fruits by dumping in a pit and
covering with a thick layer of soil
Plough interspaces to expose puparia
Use methyl eugenol lure traps (25/ha) to monitor and kill adults of fruit
flies or prepare methyl eugenol and malathion 50 EC mixture at 1:1 ratio
and take 10 ml mixture/ trap
Bait spray combining molasses or jaggery 10 g/lit and malathion 50 EC 2
ml or carbaryl 50 WP 4 g/ lit, two rounds at fortnight interval before
ripening of the fruits
Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 0.1% or dimethoate 30 EC 0.06% at the
time of flower formation and fruit set
Ber fruit borer: Meridarches scyrodes
Carposinidae: Lepidoptera
Distribution
All over India
Host range
Ber
Biology
Larva – reddish in colour
Adult – small dark - brown moth
Management
Collect and destroy the damaged fruits
Insecticides: malathion 50 EC 0.1% or dimethoate 30 EC 0.06%
Other pests
Fruit borer: Duodorix isocrates, Lycaenidae: Lepidoptera

Leaf roller: Psoroticha zizyphi, Oecophoridae: Lepidoptera

Leaf butterfly: Tarucus indicus, Lycaenidae: Lepidoptera

Hairy caterpillars: Thiacidas postica, Lymantriidae: Lepidoptera

Euproctis fraterna, Lymantriidae: Lepidoptera

Dasychira mendosa, Lymantriidae: Lepidoptera

Leaf miner: Tischeria ptarmica, Tischeriidae: Lepidoptera

Spittle bug: Machaerota plantiae, Cercopidae: Hemiptera

Lac insect: Laccifer lacca, Kerridae: Hemiptera

Grey weevil: Myllocerus transmarinus, Curculionidae:Coleoptera

Red spider mite: Eutetranychus banksi, Tetranychidae: Acarina