PESTS OF CASTOR :: Major Pests :: Slug Caterpiller

3.  Slug caterpillar: Parasa lepida (Cochilididae: Lepidoptera)

Distribution and status: India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, South East Asia.

Host range: Castor, pomegranate, citrus, coconut, palm, rose, wood apple, country almond, mango, palmyrah, cocoa, coffee, banana, rice and tea.

Damage symptoms: Larva feeds on leaves voraciously leaving only the midrib and veins resulting in severe defoliation.

Bionomics: Adult moth is green with brown band at the base of each forewing.  Eggs are laid in groups and covered with hairs on the leaves.  Egg period is 4-5 days.  Larva is stout, slug like ventrally flat, greenish body with white lines and four rows of spiny scoli tipped red or black; larval period is 40-45 days.  It pupates in plant as cocoons covered with irritating spines and hairs

Management: Spray endosulfan 2.0 L in 1000 L of water per ha.