156 COMMON INSECT PESTS 



t 



COMMON INSECT PESTS. 



Paddy. 



(i) The Stem-borer Moth (Sckcenobius bipunctifer) is a 

 serious pest in all rice-growing areas, destroying probably an 

 eighth of the total crop in normal years and one quarter or 

 more in bad years. The caterpillar feeds in the stem, and 

 remedial measures consist chiefly in ploughing the stubble and 

 burning or burying it as soon as the crop has been harvested. 



(ii) Rice Hispa (Hispa aenescetis), a small blackish spiny 

 beetle, which damages young plants, occurring on the West 

 Coast especially. No remedy can bo advised until its life 

 history and manner of occurrence have been studied. 



(iii) Rice Bug (Leptocorisa), a narrow greenish insect 

 which sucks the ripening grain, causing very marked diminu- 

 tion of yield when it is abundant, especially on the West 

 Coast and in South Kanara. Remedy — " bagging".i.e , catching 

 the bugs in nets dragged over the crop, or in small hand nets. 



(iv) Caterpillars (Spodoptera mauritia and Syrphis) occur 

 in occasional outbreaks with heavy damage. Isolation of 

 attacked areas by trenching around them, bagging and 

 ploughing are remedies indicated 



* (v) Rice Case Worm (Nymphula depunctalis) is a cater- 

 pillar which lives in the water itself, in a small case made of 

 bits of grass, etc. It occurs chiefly in Malabar where it does 

 serious damage. It is checked to some extent by small fish. 

 Draining the water off the fields, when possible, is a simple 

 remedy. 



(vi) Rice Grasshopper (Hieroglyphvs), a greenish grass- 

 hopper which occurs chiefly in Malabar and South Kanara. 

 Can be checked by bagging the young hoppers. 



Sorghum. 



(i) Moth-borers (Chilo simplex and Sesamia), whose 

 caterpillars bore into the stem of the plant, occur in all 

 areas and form the chief pest of Sorghum. They attack young 

 and old plants, in the latter, often leading to serious and 

 widespread reduction of crop. Remedies indicated are 

 (a) removal and immediate destruction of all plants seen to 

 be withering ; (b) disposal of the stubble and dry stalks 

 during the winter season. 



(ii) Cholam Bug (Calocoris angustatus) occurs chiefly in 

 the G-odavari and Kistna districts. The ripening grain is 

 sucked out and is either not formed or is light. 



Remedy—? 



(iii) Mites, causing rust of the leaves. 



(iv) Deccan Grasshopper {Cole mania sphe?iarioides), a 

 greenish wingless grasshopper which has only recently begun 



