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This refers to your email dated 23rd march 2009 regarding the large stem borer and I have checked out your blog (www.teachai.blogspot.com) and we give below the information available with us.
The Hepialid Borer,
Sahyadrassus malabaricus (Moore) Hepialidae : Lepidoptera), a large caterpillar, endemic to south India. It is often referred by its previous generic name "Phassus" which attacks several forest trees including the teak and eucalyptus. More than 50 species of plants are recorded as hoss for this pest.
Adults have grey forewings with faint mottlings
Male produce sharp, pungent, mustard like smell by the scent glands
Young caterpillars bore into the stems
Excavate long cylindrical tunnels
Eating of bark and sapwood resulted in cankers
Top end of the tunnel opens into cankers
Feeding takes place at night
It can move forward and backward with equal ease
Attacked bushes can be easily located by the frassy mat, formed of powdered wood and silk, hanging near the holes
Eggs are broadcast by the female in flight
A few succeed in tunneling the tea stems
Caterpillars made very long galleries extend up to roots
Mature larva is pale yellow, pencil thick and 6-10 cm long
Larval duration is 10 months
Pupates in the lower part of the tunnel
Pupal period lasts for 3-5 weeks
Control measures
The affected branches may be cut to sound wood
The larvae may be killed in situ by pouring a strong solution of an insecticide like endosulfan, Quinalphos by using an ink filler and plugging the holes.
Dr.A.BABU, Head, Division of Entomology, UPASI Tea Research Foundation Nirar dam BPO Valparai-642 127 Azariah.babu@gmail.com
Thank you, Babu. I knew that you will be the one to know. I had last seen this in South India in 1994 in a coffee plantation & never in the North East of India. Could you post a picture of the moth on this site. Thanks Harki
2 comments:
This refers to your email dated 23rd march 2009 regarding the large stem borer and I have checked out your blog (www.teachai.blogspot.com) and we give below the information available with us.
The Hepialid Borer,
Sahyadrassus malabaricus (Moore) Hepialidae : Lepidoptera), a large caterpillar, endemic to south India. It is often referred by its previous generic name "Phassus" which attacks several forest trees including the teak and eucalyptus. More than 50 species of plants are recorded as hoss for this pest.
Adults have grey forewings with faint mottlings
Male produce sharp, pungent, mustard like smell by the scent
glands
Young caterpillars bore into the stems
Excavate long cylindrical tunnels
Eating of bark and sapwood resulted in cankers
Top end of the tunnel opens into cankers
Feeding takes place at night
It can move forward and backward with equal ease
Attacked bushes can be easily located by the frassy mat, formed
of powdered wood and silk, hanging near the holes
Eggs are broadcast by the female in flight
A few succeed in tunneling the tea stems
Caterpillars made very long galleries extend up to roots
Mature larva is pale yellow, pencil thick and 6-10 cm long
Larval duration is 10 months
Pupates in the lower part of the tunnel
Pupal period lasts for 3-5 weeks
Control measures
The affected branches may be cut to sound wood
The larvae may be killed in situ by pouring a strong solution
of an insecticide like endosulfan, Quinalphos by using an ink
filler and plugging the holes.
Dr.A.BABU,
Head, Division of Entomology,
UPASI Tea Research Foundation
Nirar dam BPO
Valparai-642 127
Azariah.babu@gmail.com
Thank you, Babu. I knew that you will be the one to know. I had last seen this in South India in 1994 in a coffee plantation & never in the North East of India.
Could you post a picture of the moth on this site.
Thanks
Harki
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