**5.13** *Pieris brassicae* **(Linn) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)**

**Identification:** it is known as large white or cabbage butterfly. Forewings of the moth is mealy-white with dark pollination at base (wingspan 55-60 mm); females are larger than males. Wings at top with intensive black crescent limb reaching middle of outer margin and with 2 black rounded spots. They have sexual dimorphism and males just have 2 spots on the lower side of forewings. Hindwings have black stroke at anterior margin from above; grayish-yellow from below, with dense black pollination. The eggs are yellow skittleshaped. The larvae are yellowish green with yellow lines and black spots. Pupae are greenish-yellow with black dorsal and lateral dots (Navarajan, 2007).

**Life cycle and damage**: females lay eggs in batches on the lower side of leaves. After 4 to 16 days the eggs develop. Young caterpillars aggregate and scraping the lower side of leaves; older ones live individually, gnawing holes in leaves, contaminating the latter with excrement. In severe attacks thick veins only leave. Caterpillars have 5 instars and develop in 13-38 days. The pupa phase lasts 8-15 days. Diapausing pupae do not hibernate far from host plant localities on tree trunks and branches, fences etc. They have the ability to migrate in large numbers during the spring and autumn and have 2-3 generation (Navarajan, 2007).

**Monitoring:** install pheromone traps for monitoring male moths and check the crop weekly after peak trap catches for the presence of larvae.

**Economic and action thresholds:** no action threshold has been set for *P. brassicae*.

Oilseed Pests 163

quarter-meter square (50 cm by 50 cm) and beat them within that area to dislodge the larvae. Count the fallen larvae and multiply by 4 to get the number per meter square (kalita, 2004). **Economic and action thresholds:** ETL is one larva per meter row of length (kalita, 2004).

**Control**: field sanitation, crop rotation and intercropping are cultural techniques for controlling leaf webbers. *Aponteles* sp. is the pupal parasitoid of *C. binotalis*. Neem, B.t., carbaryl, cypermethrin, fenvalerate, or monocrotophos sprays are effective (kalita, 2004).

**Identification:** It is known as Bertha armyworms. The forewings of moths are predominantly gray, and flecked with patches of black, brown, olive and white scales. Near the middle of the forewing, there is a prominent, white, kidney-shaped marking defined with a ring of whitish scales. Near the tip of the forewing, there is a conspicuous white and olive-colored, irregular transverse marking that is characteristic of the species. The moth wingspan is about 4 cm. The eggs are sculptured, ridged; white at first but become darker as they develop. The larvae are pale green when they first hatch. Older larvae will be velvety brown to black with a yellowish band along each side of the body (Knodel et al., 2010).

**Life cycle and damage**: females lay eggs in single-layered clusters of about 50-500 eggs on the lower surface of the leaves. Firs instar larvae feed on the leaves. As leaves dried, the old larvae begin feeding on seeds and flowers which are more succulent. Early seeded canola often has been swathed prior to the occurrence of significant feeding injury. They cause serious damage by chewing through the stems below the bolls, causing them to drop to the ground. The larvae have six instars and at maturity, burrow into the ground and form pupae, their over-wintering stage. Bertha armyworm attacks many kinds of broadleaf

**Monitoring:** monitor the caterpillars and count the number of them on crops according to

**Economic and action thresholds:** Thresholds is when 18-22 larvae is observed per square yard, as long as leaf feeding is the extent of the damage observed. Thresholds may be adjusted lower if larvae are found feeding on maturing seed pods (Knodel et al., 2010).

**Control**: If the threshold exceeded apply insecticides such as: bifenthrin, deltamethrin,

*Helianthus annuus* L.: known as common sunflower, about 60% of the world's production is

**Identification**: it is known as black scarab beetles or black sunflower scarab*.* Beetles are 13 mm long, shiny black with very short hairs. Eggs are cream and spherical, about 1.5 mm in diameter*.* The larvae are creamy with a grey rear end, brown head capsule and up to 25 mm long. They are C-shaped with wrinkly bodies and Y-shaped palidia (Franzmann, 2011).

in Europe and the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (Putnam et al., 1990).

**5.16** *Mamestra configurata* **(Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)** 

plants, including canola, flax and beans (Knodel et al., 2010).

gamma cyhalothrin or lambda-cyhalothrin (Knodel et al., 2010).

**6.1** *Pseudoheteronyx basicollis* **(L.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)** 

the method of leaf webbers.

**6. Sunflower** 

**Control**: Caterpillars can be controlled biologically by *Apanteles glomeratus* (L.). Spray 0.05% dichlorvos, acetamiprid or 1% malathion if the threshold is exceeded (Navarajan, 2007).

#### **5.14** *Hellula undalis* **(F.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralididae)**

**Identification:** Moths of *H. undalis* are pale greyish-brown, suffused with reddish color. Their forewings have wavy gray markings, a curved pale patch sub terminally, and a kidney shaped mark one third length from the tip. The wingspan is about 18 mm. Hindwings are pale, with the tip being lightly colored. The eggs are small, oval and slightly flattened upon the plant surface. They are creamy white when freshly laid, become pinkish the next day and then turn brownish-red. Larvae are pale whitish brown with 4 or 5 pinkish-brown longitudinal stripes. Pupation occurs in a silk cocoon and early stage pupae are soft and very pale yellowish-white in color with a bright red, dorsal blood (TIFP, n.d.-b).

**Life cycle and damage**: females lay eggs singly, or in groups or chains of 2 or 3 on the leaves near the bud and after 4 to 5 days the eggs hatch. Cabbage head borer caterpillars initially mine the leaves and make it white papery. Later they feed on leaves and bore into stems, entrance hole is covered with silk and excreta (TIFP, n.d.-b).

**Monitoring:** Regular monitoring of young plants in the nursery and after transplant is important. Install pheromone traps and detect larvae (Kessing & Mau, 2007).

**Economic and action thresholds:** ETL is when 15-25% of plants infested in a random pattern (Kessing & Mau, 2007).

**Control**: *B. hebetor* and *C. blackburni* can control *H. undalis*. Screening of seedling beds and clean culture are helpful in reducing damage caused by cabbage webworm. Biopesticides such as B.t. and spinosad are useful for the management of caterpillars. If the threshold is exceeded application of 5% malathion dust, Trichlorfon or carbaryl 50 WP, endosulfan (0.05%), cypermethrin (0.005%), and neem are advised (Navarajan, 2007; TIFP, n.d.-b).

#### **5.15** *Crocidolomia binotalis* **(Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)**

**Identification:** leaf webber moths are yellowish-brown, forewings in parts have reddishbrown distinct and in distinct wavy lines and prominent white spots. Near to the thorax forewing and black tuft of hair and hindwings are white with dark brown apical area. The eggs are brown furry, flat and placed in masses. The larvae are pale yellowish-brown, with a series of lateral and sub-lateral black spots and specks. The pupa is yellowish green when formed and turns dark brown later and it is about 1 cm long (TIFP, n.d.-b).

**Life cycle and damage**: females lay eggs in masses and each mass containing 40-100 overlapping eggs. After 5-15 days, depending on whether conditions the eggs hatch. The newly hatched larvae feed initially on the chlorophyll of young leaves and later on older leaves, buds and pods, make webbings and live within. Severely attacked plants are defoliated and seeds in the pods are eaten away. Leaf webber is the secondary pest and may become a serious problem, particularly during the dry season. The larvae develop after about 24-27 days during summer; or about 51 days in winter. Leaf webbers pupate in an earthen cocoon, 2 to 6 cm below soil surface (TIFP, n.d.-b).

**Monitoring:** Monitoring is very important in the first stages of the crop. Check the crop weekly after peak trap catches in order to detect the caterpillars. Scout the plants with

**Control**: Caterpillars can be controlled biologically by *Apanteles glomeratus* (L.). Spray 0.05% dichlorvos, acetamiprid or 1% malathion if the threshold is exceeded (Navarajan, 2007).

**Identification:** Moths of *H. undalis* are pale greyish-brown, suffused with reddish color. Their forewings have wavy gray markings, a curved pale patch sub terminally, and a kidney shaped mark one third length from the tip. The wingspan is about 18 mm. Hindwings are pale, with the tip being lightly colored. The eggs are small, oval and slightly flattened upon the plant surface. They are creamy white when freshly laid, become pinkish the next day and then turn brownish-red. Larvae are pale whitish brown with 4 or 5 pinkish-brown longitudinal stripes. Pupation occurs in a silk cocoon and early stage pupae are soft and

**Life cycle and damage**: females lay eggs singly, or in groups or chains of 2 or 3 on the leaves near the bud and after 4 to 5 days the eggs hatch. Cabbage head borer caterpillars initially mine the leaves and make it white papery. Later they feed on leaves and bore into stems,

**Monitoring:** Regular monitoring of young plants in the nursery and after transplant is

**Economic and action thresholds:** ETL is when 15-25% of plants infested in a random

**Control**: *B. hebetor* and *C. blackburni* can control *H. undalis*. Screening of seedling beds and clean culture are helpful in reducing damage caused by cabbage webworm. Biopesticides such as B.t. and spinosad are useful for the management of caterpillars. If the threshold is exceeded application of 5% malathion dust, Trichlorfon or carbaryl 50 WP, endosulfan (0.05%), cypermethrin (0.005%), and neem are advised (Navarajan, 2007; TIFP, n.d.-b).

**Identification:** leaf webber moths are yellowish-brown, forewings in parts have reddishbrown distinct and in distinct wavy lines and prominent white spots. Near to the thorax forewing and black tuft of hair and hindwings are white with dark brown apical area. The eggs are brown furry, flat and placed in masses. The larvae are pale yellowish-brown, with a series of lateral and sub-lateral black spots and specks. The pupa is yellowish green when

**Life cycle and damage**: females lay eggs in masses and each mass containing 40-100 overlapping eggs. After 5-15 days, depending on whether conditions the eggs hatch. The newly hatched larvae feed initially on the chlorophyll of young leaves and later on older leaves, buds and pods, make webbings and live within. Severely attacked plants are defoliated and seeds in the pods are eaten away. Leaf webber is the secondary pest and may become a serious problem, particularly during the dry season. The larvae develop after about 24-27 days during summer; or about 51 days in winter. Leaf webbers pupate in an

**Monitoring:** Monitoring is very important in the first stages of the crop. Check the crop weekly after peak trap catches in order to detect the caterpillars. Scout the plants with

very pale yellowish-white in color with a bright red, dorsal blood (TIFP, n.d.-b).

important. Install pheromone traps and detect larvae (Kessing & Mau, 2007).

**5.14** *Hellula undalis* **(F.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralididae)** 

entrance hole is covered with silk and excreta (TIFP, n.d.-b).

**5.15** *Crocidolomia binotalis* **(Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)** 

earthen cocoon, 2 to 6 cm below soil surface (TIFP, n.d.-b).

formed and turns dark brown later and it is about 1 cm long (TIFP, n.d.-b).

pattern (Kessing & Mau, 2007).

quarter-meter square (50 cm by 50 cm) and beat them within that area to dislodge the larvae. Count the fallen larvae and multiply by 4 to get the number per meter square (kalita, 2004).

**Economic and action thresholds:** ETL is one larva per meter row of length (kalita, 2004).

**Control**: field sanitation, crop rotation and intercropping are cultural techniques for controlling leaf webbers. *Aponteles* sp. is the pupal parasitoid of *C. binotalis*. Neem, B.t., carbaryl, cypermethrin, fenvalerate, or monocrotophos sprays are effective (kalita, 2004).

#### **5.16** *Mamestra configurata* **(Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)**

**Identification:** It is known as Bertha armyworms. The forewings of moths are predominantly gray, and flecked with patches of black, brown, olive and white scales. Near the middle of the forewing, there is a prominent, white, kidney-shaped marking defined with a ring of whitish scales. Near the tip of the forewing, there is a conspicuous white and olive-colored, irregular transverse marking that is characteristic of the species. The moth wingspan is about 4 cm. The eggs are sculptured, ridged; white at first but become darker as they develop. The larvae are pale green when they first hatch. Older larvae will be velvety brown to black with a yellowish band along each side of the body (Knodel et al., 2010).

**Life cycle and damage**: females lay eggs in single-layered clusters of about 50-500 eggs on the lower surface of the leaves. Firs instar larvae feed on the leaves. As leaves dried, the old larvae begin feeding on seeds and flowers which are more succulent. Early seeded canola often has been swathed prior to the occurrence of significant feeding injury. They cause serious damage by chewing through the stems below the bolls, causing them to drop to the ground. The larvae have six instars and at maturity, burrow into the ground and form pupae, their over-wintering stage. Bertha armyworm attacks many kinds of broadleaf plants, including canola, flax and beans (Knodel et al., 2010).

**Monitoring:** monitor the caterpillars and count the number of them on crops according to the method of leaf webbers.

**Economic and action thresholds:** Thresholds is when 18-22 larvae is observed per square yard, as long as leaf feeding is the extent of the damage observed. Thresholds may be adjusted lower if larvae are found feeding on maturing seed pods (Knodel et al., 2010).

**Control**: If the threshold exceeded apply insecticides such as: bifenthrin, deltamethrin, gamma cyhalothrin or lambda-cyhalothrin (Knodel et al., 2010).
