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

2. Bark caterpillar - Indarbela tetraonis (Metarbelidae; Lepidoptera)

Damage

• It makes tunnels in main trunk and branches. Larvae construct loose irregular webbing of silken thread along with excretory pellets, pieces of bark and frass.
• Infestation results in deterioration of vitality of tree and reduction of yield.



Management

• Keep the orchards clean
• Collect loose and damaged barks and destroy them.
• Kill larvae by inserting thin iron spike or wire into the hole.
• Spot application of 10 ml of monocrotophos or fenthion or methyl parathion / 1 of water.