Insect Pests of Vegetable, Ornamental and Spice Crops (2+1)

Exercise: INSECT PESTS OF STORED AND PROCESSED VEGETABLES, ORNAMENTALS AND SPICES

1. Cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (Anobiidae: Coleoptera):

• Nature of damage: Grubs damage the commodities by making small cylindrical galleries through them. Adults feed very little if at all. The larvae are very active and move and bore into the commodity.
• Identification: Adult beetles are stoutly built, oval in shape, 2.0 to 2.5 mm long, light brown in colour. The elytra are smooth with very short hairs. The antennae are about half the length of body and have segments of which the fourth to tenth are serrate. When disturbed the adults conceals its head under the large pronotum. The grubs are white and scarabaeiform.

2. Drug store beetle, Stegobium paniceum (Anobiidae: coleoptera):

• It is an important pest of processed commodities like chocolate, confectionary, biscuits, dried fruits and vegetables and spices.
• Nature of damage: grubs damage by making small cylindrical galleries through the commodities. Adults fed very little if at al. larvae are quite active and move around or bore into the commodity.
• Identification: It is similar to cigarette beetle in appearance but can be distinguished by its antennae. In Stegobium the last three segments form a large loosely segmented club. The elytra have longitudinal striae which are also present in Lasioderma.

3. Almond moth, Ephestia (Cadra ) cautella (Phycitidae: Lepidoptera):

• Almond moth Nature of damage: Damage is caused by the larvae which feed on the germ portion of grains leaving east of the kernel undamaged. They form webs on the top layer of grains, storage bags, etc.
• Identification: Moths are about 13 mm with wing expanse of 20-25 cm. wings are dirty white to grayish in colour with indistinct black bands about 4mm from the head. It rests with sloped wings over the body almost like the slanting roof of warehouse. Being nocturnal, it rests in dark places during day time. Usually it is active at dusk and dawn when temperature and humidity fluctuations occur.

4. Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Phycitidae: Lepidoptera):

• It is an important pest of dried and stored commodities in the pantry. Basal half of the fore wings is silver white or grayish, outer two third portion is reddish, copper bronze with irregular bands. Hind wings are also silvery grey with silky fringes. Thorax is slightly darker with reddish scales. Hind tibia is robust. Insect when at rest, antennae are 2/3 of the body size cross and rest on the wings.
• Eggs are grayish white in colour with granular surface, 3-5 mm in size. Full grown larva is about 13 mm in size, dirty white in colour having granular skin and hairs on the body. Pupa is straw coloured, changes colour with age to grayish, prominent eyes, 6-11 mm in size in silken cocoons.

5. Onion maggot/ onion fly, Delia antiqua:

• For details please see the insect pests of onion

6. Gladiolus thrips, Taeniothrips simplex (Thripidae: Thysanoptera) :

• For details please see the insect pests of gladiolus

7. Potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella:

• For details please see the insect pests of potato