at the site

The Camp site in Glenburn

Stem damage

A damaged leaf

Bush with damage

the new pest

A New Tea Pest

On my visit to Darjeeling last week, a new pest was located in Glenburn Tea Estate. It is a caterpillar that was seen causing fairly extensive damage, mainly to Pruned sections. TRA has since picked up samples of the pest to try and identify it.
The damage is being caused like done by a Red Slug and it is also eating up a part of the soft stem, which eventually keels over & dies. The nature of damage could cause tremendous damage to crops, if it spreads.
I am attaching the first photographs taken by me of this pest.