Insect Pests of Fruit, Plantation, Medicinal & Aromatic Crops (2+1)

3. Flower webber

3. Flower webber-Eublemma versicolor (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

Damage

• The caterpillar webs together the flower buds and inflorescence.
• It remains inside the web and feeds on the floral parts and also tunnels into the flower stalks.
Bionomics

• The moth is purplish grey with an oblique line on the wings.
• It lays eggs singly on the pedicels and sepals of flower buds.
• The incubation period is 3-4 days.
• The full grown larva is smooth, greenish yellow with light brown head and a pro - thoracic shield measuring 20 mm in length.
• The larval period is 18-20 days.
• It pupates inside the inflorescence and emerges as adult in 8-9 days.
• The life cycle is completed in 29-33 days.
Management

• Remove and destroy affected flowers and tender shoots.
• Spray dimethoate 30 EC 0.06% or methyl demeton 25 EC 0.05% or Dimethoate 0.03 % .