Citrus butterfly: Papilio demolious, P. Polytes, P.helenus
Symptoms of damage:
- Caterpillars prefers on light green tender leaves feeding voraciously and leaving only the mid-ribs
- Severe infestation the entire tree gets defoliated
Identification of pest:
- Larva: Early stage larva resembles a bird dropping. Grown up larva is cylindrical, stout, green and brown lateral bond
- Adult: Dark brown swallowtail butterfly with numerous yellow marking
Management:
- Hand pick the larvae and destroy
- First instar – Spraying of 1ml DDVP (Nuvan)
- Field release of parasitoids Trichogramme evanescens and Telenomus sp on eggs of Brachymeria sp larvae and Pterolus sp pupae
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal.
