PESTS OF PULSES - RED GRAM & CHICKPEA :: Major Pests :: Blue Butterfly

2. Blue butterfly:  Lampides boeticus (Lycaenidae: Lepidoptera)

Distribution and status:  India

Host range:  Cowpea, redgram, blackgram, lablab and niger.

Damage symptoms: The larva feeds inside flower buds; green pods with bore holes and presence of slug like caterpillar.

Bionomics: The adult moth is greyish blue with prominent black spots in the hind wings and a long tail.  It lays eggs singly or in group of 2-3 on flower buds, green pods, shoots and leaves.  The egg period is 4-7 days.  The larva is pale green with a rough skin and measures 1mm in length.  The larval period is 9-27 days.  It pupates in leaf, twig or pod.  The pupal period lasts for 17-19 days.