Behavioural insights of red banded mango caterpillar deanolis sublimbalis snellen

Abstract

Red banded mango caterpillar (RBMC) Deonolis sublimbalis Snellen is a monophagous pest in the tropical regions of South and South East Asia. Behavioural studies on this were carried out both in the field and laboratory conditions during 2016-17, focusing on neonate larva, pupal emergence time, mating and oviposition. Field observations revealed that the eclosion time of neonate larva would be during early hours between 2.00 to 06.00 am, and the larvae preferably attack pea to lemon sized fruits, particularly towards the beak portion (chalazal portion). The larval feeding was majorly nocturnal, photosensitive and gregarious. Larvae were also found to be active during the early hours of photophase and found to migrate among the fruits. Under laboratory conditions, the peak adult emergence was during the 15^thstandard week (active fruiting season). However, moth emergence was also noticed during the off-season (June to January) in the absence of host. Series of behavioural transitions were noticed while studying the mating behaviour. Gravid females were significantly (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.03) attracted to volatiles of lemon size mango fruits in olfactometer bioassays.