I EPIDOPTERA. 441 



Lifehistory.— Caterpillar about 25 mm. long, cylindrical, smooth, 

 peagreen in colour with numerous irregularly-oval black smooth 

 flattened warts tending to form bands around each segment. Webs 

 together leaves of the foodplant, feeding gregariously and eating 

 the leaves covered by the web. Pupation in a cocoon covered with 

 particle- nt leal and 1 1 n ment, in the web ; pupa slender, reddish- 

 brown; pupal period about 10 days. 



Foodplants. — Brinjal and wild solanaceous plants. 



Status.— A. minor pest of brinjal. 



rol. — The webs are conspicuous ami the caterpillars ma\ 

 easily be destroyed by hand-picking. 



ANTIGASTRA CATALAUNALIS, Dup. [PLATE XXXVII. | 



Botys catalaunalis, Dup., Lep. France, VIII, 330, t. 232, f. 8. 



Antigastra catalaunalis, Hmpsn., Faun. [nd. Moths. IV, 412, f. 224- 

 Lefroy, Ind. Ins. Pests, p. 161 ; Ent. Mem. Agri. Dept., Ind., I, 218 ■ 

 Ind. Ins. Life, p. 520, t. 51. 



Distribution. — Throughout Southern India. 



Lit\-histor\: —Eggs are laid singly on leaves. Full-grown cater- 

 pillar about 15 mm. long, smooth with a few scattered short hairs, 

 in colour green with a few small blackish warts, head dark-brown. 

 The newly-hatched caterpillar eats blotches in the leaves of the 

 foodplant, later on in life it webs together the top-shoots and bores 

 into the shoots and pods. Pupa whitish, with black eye-spot and 

 nish abdomen, in net-like cocoon of white siik. Pupa 1 period 

 about a week. 



Foodplants.- -Gingelly (Sesamum indicum). 



Status. — Occasionally a serious pest of gingelly. 



Control (l) Hand-picking of affected top-shoots which are 

 conspicuous, as they wither and turn blackish (see figs. 1 and 2 on 

 Plate XXXYI1. 



(2) The moths come fairly freely to light and light-traps may 

 be tried in badly-affected fields. 



NOORDA BLITEALIS. Wlk. 

 Noorda blitealis, Wlk., Cat. XIX. 979 (1859) ; Hmpsn.. Faun. Ind. 

 Moths, IV, 414-415, f. 227; Lefroy, Ind. Ins. Fife, p. 520. 



Fig. 31s. — Noorda blitealis. (Original.) 

 Distribution.— Throughout the Plains of Southern India. 



