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A.k. Pant - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Shishir Tandon - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

K. Selvaraj - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Biological control of key pest of jute, Spilosoma obliqua Walker (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) - a case study.
    Journal of Biological Control, 2019
    Co-Authors: B. S. Gotyal, S. Satpathy, V. Ramesh Babu, K. Selvaraj
    Abstract:

    Surveys were conducted in intensive jute growing areas of West Bengal to collect information on natural enemies and other entomopathogens infecting jute hairy caterpillar Spilosoma obliqua (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae). The jute crop supports large number natural enemies of S. obliqua and entomopathogens. Among the braconid larval parasitoids, Meteorus Spilosomae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Protapantales obliquae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were the key mortality factors. The activity of these parasitoids was noticed from mid- May to mid-July during the cropping season. The parasitoid, P. obliquae is a gregarious, endoparasitoid specific to S. obliqua and parasitize to the extent of 38% up to third instar of larvae whereas M. Spilosomae reported to cause up to 77% of parasitisation on S. obliqua under field condition. Bacillus thuringiensis and nuclear polyhedrosis virus were found be very effective with mortality of, 64 and 93% respectively. These parasitoids and pathogens can be used as potential bio-control agents against jute hairy caterpillar through conservation, augmentation and mass multiplication.

  • First Record of Protapanteles obliquae (Wilkinson) (Braconidae: Hymenoptera) on Spilosoma obliqua Walker on Jute Crop
    Journal of Biological Control, 2015
    Co-Authors: K. Selvaraj, S. Satpathy, B. S. Gotyal, T Ramasubramanian
    Abstract:

    A survey on native natural enemies of Bihar hairy caterpillar, Spilosoma obliqua Walker was conducted during April- August 2012 cropping season at ICAR-CRIJAF, Barrackpore as well as jute growing belts in West Bengal, India. The survey revealed that Protapanteles obliquae (Wilkinson) (Braconidae: Hymenoptera) is a potential larval parasitoid of S. obliqua which is occurring naturally on jute. This is the first record of natural parasitism of P. obliquae on S. obliqua on jute crop in India.

  • Record of Larval Parasitoid of Bihar Hairy Caterpillar, Spilosoma Obliqua Walker (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) in Jute Ecosystem in India
    Journal of Biological Control, 2013
    Co-Authors: K. Selvaraj, S. Satpathy, B. S. Gotyal, V. Ramesh Babu
    Abstract:

    A survey on native natural enemies of jute hairy caterpillar, Spilosoma obliqua Walker was conducted during April- July 2012 at CRIJAF, Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The survey revealed that Meteorus Spilosomae Narendran& Rema is a potential larval parasitoid which was occurring naturally in the jute ecosystem. This report confirms the parasitization of S. obliqua larvae by M. Spilosomae in jute ecosystem of West Bengal for the first time.

Ashutosh K. Mittal - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

M. Deane Bowers - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Host Plant Influences on Iridoid Glycoside Sequestration of Generalist and Specialist Caterpillars
    Journal of Chemical Ecology, 2010
    Co-Authors: Evan C. Lampert, M. Deane Bowers
    Abstract:

    The effect of diet on sequestration of iridoid glycosides was examined in larvae of three lepidopteran species. Larvae were reared upon Plantago major , or P. lanceolata , or switched from one to the other in the penultimate instar. Junonia coenia is a specialist on iridoid glycoside-producing plants, whereas the arctiids, Spilosoma congrua and Estigmene acrea , are both polyphagous and eat iridoid-producing plants. All species sequestered iridoids. The specialist J. coenia sequestered from three to seven times the amounts sequestered by the two generalist species. Junonia coenia iridoid glycoside content depended on diet, and they sequestered from 5 to 15% dry weight iridoid glycosides. Estigmene acrea iridoid glycoside sequestration was relatively low, around 2% dry weight and did not vary with diet. Spilosoma congrua sequestration varied with diet and ranged from approximately 3 to 6% dry weight.

  • Fate of Host-Plant Iridoid Glycosides in Lepidopteran Larvae of Nymphalidae and Arcthdae
    Journal of Chemical Ecology, 1997
    Co-Authors: M. Deane Bowers, Nancy E. Stamp
    Abstract:

    We compared the ability of larvae of six lepidopteran species to sequester iridoid glycosides. All larvae were fed on a common host plant, Plantago lanceolata, which contains two iridoid glycosides, aucubin and catalpol. Four species of arctiids were examined: Pyrrharctia isabella, Spilosoma congrua, Spilosoma latipennis, and Spilosoma virginica. For comparison, we also examined two nymphalid species, one of which, Junonia coenia (a specialist on plants containing iridoid glycosides), was known to sequester iridoid glycosides, and the other, Vanessa cardui, was a generalist that also feeds on P. lanceolata. We found that, as expected, J. coenia larvae did contain iridoid glycosides, whereas V. cardui did not. To our surprise, Spilosoma congrua contained substantial amounts of iridoid glycosides (mean = 7.14% dry weight), whereas none of the other arctiids (S. lalipennis, S. virginica, or P. Isabella) contained detectable levels of iridoid glycosides. We found small amounts of iridoid glycosides in the frass of S. virginica but none in the frass of S. congrua or P. isabella.

  • Presence of predatory wasps and stinkbugs alters foraging behavior of cryptic and non-cryptic caterpillars on plantain (Plantago lanceolata).
    Oecologia, 1993
    Co-Authors: Nancy E. Stamp, M. Deane Bowers
    Abstract:

    We examined the foraging patterns of two species of caterpillar (Junonia coenia: Nymphalidae and Spilosoma congrua: Arctiidae) that contrast in feeding specialization and crypticity on plantain (Plantago lanceolata) in the absence and presence of two different insect predators [stinkbugs, Podisus maculiventris (Pentatomidae) and wasps, Polistes fuscatus (Vespidae)]. Junonia larvae were quite apparent to human observers, feeding on upper leaf surfaces during daylight, whereas Spilosoma larvae were relatively cryptic, often hiding under leaves and in soil crevices during daylight. In the presence of either predator species, the non-cryptic Junonia caterpillars more quickly left the plant on which they were initially placed and were less apparent than Junonia larvae not exposed to predators. The presence of predators had no detectable influence on where the caterpillars occurred on the plants (new, intermediate-aged or mature leaves, or reproductive stalks). Surprisingly, the predators influenced the behavior of the inherently cryptic Spilosoma: the apparency of these larvae at night increased when wasps had access to the plots during the day. Survivorship of the non-cryptic Junonia was less than 12% when stinkbugs were present compared to 60% in their absence. Although the presence of wasps resulted in a lower relative growth rate for the non-cryptic Junonia larvae, the indirect effect of predators on reduction in survivorship due to alterations in prey growth rate through behavioral changes was less than 3%. After taking into account the decline in caterpillars per plot through predation, we found that both the amount of leaves eaten and the proportion of plants eaten were altered on plots with predators present, which suggests that the caterpillars' increased consumption countered increased maintenance costs due to the presence of predators. Overall, our results indicate that hostplant size, level of predation and type of predator can influence the degree to which these caterpillars react to the presence of insect predators. In contrast, degree of inherent feeding specialization and cryptic behavior seemed to have little effect on the expression of reactive behaviors of these caterpillars to predators.

  • Behaviour of specialist and generalist caterpillars on plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
    Ecological Entomology, 1992
    Co-Authors: Nancy E. Stamp, M. Deane Bowers
    Abstract:

    . 1 Foraging patterns of specialist (Junonia coenia Hubner: Nymphalidae) and generalist (Spilosoma congrua Wlk.: Arctiidae) caterpillars on five genotypes of plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.: Plantaginaceae) were examined in an experimental garden. 2 Movement by the specialists reflected declining availability of new leaves. When direct sunlight was available, these caterpillars were usually exposed to it. 3 Although the generalists also preferred new leaves, they spent less than 50% of their time on the plantain and changed location more frequently than the specialists. They often hid at the base of plants or under leaves. 4 Plant genotype influenced the apparency of the specialists and damage by the herbivores.