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

2. Anar butterfly

2. Anar butterfly - Virachola isocrates F. (Lycaenidae : Lepidoptera)

Damage

• The caterpillar bore into the developing fruits and feed on the pulp below the rind of infested fruits ultimately fall off and infested fruit which gives an offensive smell.
Bionoinics

• The adult moth is brown butterfly.
• The female moth has' V ' shaped patch on fore wings.
• It lays shiny white, oval shaped eggs singly on developing fruits.
• The egg period is 7 -10 days.
• The larva is dirty dark brown, short and stoutly build covered with short hairs.
• The larval period is 18 - 47 days. It pupates insides the fruit.
• The pupal period ranges from 7-34 days.
Management

• Collect and destroy the infested fruits.
• Spray NSKE 5% or neem oil 2% as oviposition deterrent, 2 to 3 times at 15 days interval commencing from flowering and during butterfly activity.
• Adopt ETL (5 eggs / plant with bearing capacity of 60 fruits).
• Release egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis at 1 lakh / acre.
• Spray thiochloprit 2 ml/ litre of water.
• Ensure minimum waiting period of 10 days between the day of insecticide application and harvesting of fruits in the field.