First report of two chalcidoids parasitizing arecanut inflorescence caterpillar, Tirathaba mundella Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) from Karnataka, India

Abstract

Arecanut, Areca catechu Linn. (Family: pockets of Karnataka and Kerala (Nair and Arecaceae) is an important commercial crop which Rawther, 1969). The infestation is manifested as contributes to the economy of 16 million peasants bore holes on the inflorescence with webbed or in India; for a majority among them, the income damaged rachillae and female flowers (Fig. 1 A & from arecanut based industries is the sole means of B). Infestation by slug, Mariaella dussumieri Gray livelihood. Considering the global scenario, India (Gastropoda: Ariophantidae) predisposes the palm ranks first in the area (473.33 thousand hectares) to the attack of inflorescence caterpillar, as the adult and production (705.60 thousand tonnes) of moths oviposit through bore holes on the spathe arecanut (Chowdappa and Cherian, 2016). In India, made by slugs. The emerging larvae gregariously the cultivation of arecanut is primarily restricted to feed on the male flowers and rachillae. Moreover, the foot hills of Western Ghats (Karnataka and larvae bore into the buttons or developing nuts Kerala) and North East states like Assam, West during severe infestation and thereby delay the Bengal Meghalaya and Mizoram. opening of the infested inflorescence.