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

3. Bunch caterpillar

3. Bunch caterpillar - Andraca bipunctata Wlk. (Bombycidae: Lepidoptera)

Damage

• The caterpillar feeds on the surface tissues and later on leaf blades causing defoliation.
• It remain clustered in characteristic bunches on branches hence the name bunch caterpillar.
Bionomics

• The adult moth is brownish with dark wavy lines on the wings and two white spots distally on fore wings.
• It lays eggs in clusters of up to 120 eggs on the undersurface of leaves.
• Fecundity is about 500 eggs/female. The egg period is 10-11 days.
• The larva is smooth, greyish in colour with brown patches.
• It pupates on the ground among dried up leaves. The pupal period is about 16-29 days.
Management

• Collect and kill the caterpillar
• Spray malathion 50 EC at 2ml/lit of water.