New Report on Pine Tent Caterpillar Dendrolimus pini L. (Lasiocampidae : Lepidoptera) from Eastern Ghats Forest region of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

Author: P. Seetharamu, D. Sekhar, K. Babuji Naidu and G. Ramarao

Download PDF

Abstract

A field survey was conducted for insect pests on various crops grown in and around the Chintaplle forest region and on farm at Regional Agricultural Research station, Chintapalle, Andhra Pradesh, India during rabi, 2020-2021. We have reported the pine tent caterpillar/pine lappet moth Denrolimus pini L. (Lasiocampidae: Lepidoptera) on apple and pine trees for the first time from Eastern Ghats forest region of Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The incidence of tent caterpillar was first noticed during the month of December, 2020 on pine trees in the region and apple, silver oak on farm. In this report attempts are made to describe about the first occurrence of pine tent cater pillar in the eastern ghats of Andhra Pradesh. We have collected and reared the caterpillar in the entomology laboratory and identified the caterpillar based on the larval chaetotaxy i.e., mature caterpillars have soft, grey to brown hairs, thick bands of steel blue and black hairs on the tho

Keywords

Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae, Larval Chaetotaxy, morphological description, biology, New record from Eastern ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Conclusion

As a part of the insect pest survey programme the pine tent caterpillar was noticed on pine, apple, silver oak and Jamun and reported for the first time from India in the eastern ghats of Visakhapatnaam district of Andhra Pradesh, India. There is a scope of this insect pest may switch over to other forest trees and may cause damage to the forest trees. Keeping in view of the occurrence of the insect pest on pine, silver oak and apple in this region future research will be focused on collection, identification, host range and detailed biology of the insect pest and their natural enemies and also focused on eco friendly management tactics to contain the insect pest in forest ecosystem.

References

-

How to cite this article

Seetharamu, P., Sekhar2, D. K., Naidu, B. and Ramarao, G. (2021). New Report on Pine Tent Caterpillar Dendrolimus pini L. (Lasiocampidae: Lepidoptera) from Eastern Ghats Forest region of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Biological Forum – An Int