Two and a Bud 59:17-20, 2012

RESEARCH PAPER

Hyposidra talaea (Walker) : A major defoliating pest of tea in North East

India

B. C. Chutia , A. Rahman, M. Sarmah, B. K. Barthakurl and Monorama Borthakur

Entomology Department, Tocklai Experimental Station, Tea Research Association, Jorhat-785008, Assam, India

ABSTRACT

More than 100 species of pests are recorded in tea in Northeast India. The defoliating pest, Hyposidra talaea (Walker),
also known as 'black inch worm' has recently been noticed in Dooars, North Bengal and Assam. The activity of this looper
has considerably increased in recent years. Widely distributed in low land forests of Indo-Australian tropics, it has also
been recorded as a pest oftea in Indonesia. These caterpillars have become regular pests in many gardens, where it was
unknown in the recent past. Occurrence ofa few more loopers including H. injixaria, Aseotis and Eetropis species in
Upper Assam, North Bank, Dooars and Terai has also been reported. H. talaea is found to be the most dominant among
the newer species ofloopers. Deforestation as well as the system of diversified plantations in and around tea plantations
might be the reasons for their sudden increase in tbe recent years. The current paper presents the information on biology
ofthis pest in Assam, its feeding habit, and host range.

INTRODUCTION No information on the biology of this pest was available

Hyposidra talaca (Walker), also known as 'black inch worm'
is widely distributed in the low land forests of Indo-
Australian tropics from northeast Himalayas to Queensland
and Solomons, mostly in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong
Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and
Australia (Browne, 1968 and Holloway, 1993). Out of twenty
six species of Hyposidra from all over the world. Among
these, only H. talaca (Walker) has been recorded as pest
of tea in Indonesia (Dharmadi, 1983) and a major defoliating
pest oftea in Dooars, North Bengal (Majumder and Ghosh,
2004). The larvae of this insect are polyphagous in nature
and reported to feed on a variety of trees, shrubs and
weeds. Earlier, the insect had been reported to feed on
twenty five host plants (Browne, 1968) over the world. Nasu
et al. (2004) reported it on Eucalyptus from Japan. Recently,
Majumder and Ghosh (2004) studied the host range of H.
talaca and identified twenty three host plants in Dooars
and Terai. Occurrence of a few more species of loopers
including H. infixaria, Ascotis and Ectropis species in
Upper Assam, North Bank of Assam has also been reported.
H. talaca is found to be the most dominant one among the
newer species of the loopers.
from Assam. In view of the increasing activity of this pest
in tea plantations of Assam, generation of data on its feeding
habits and host range has become essential to develop
proper management strategies .
MATERIALSAND METHODS
H. talaca (Walker) loopers were collected from two different
tea gardens of Assam in the month of May and cultured in
the laboratory. As the caterpillars were full- grown, they
pupated after a few days of rearing. The pupae were kept
in rearing cages until the emergence of moths. The emerged
moths were kept for pairing in plastic containers with both
sides opened., The mouths of the container were covered
with muslin cloths. The fertile females laid eggs on the
muslin cloths. Eggs were removed using a camel hairbrush
and kept on petridishes at room temperature for hatching.
Young and mature tea shoots were inserted in glass vials
filled with water and the vials, placed on petri dishes, were
kept in the plastic jars. Immediately after hatching, the larvae
were transferred to young tea shoots placed inside the
rearing jars. The final instar caterpillars came down from
the tea shoots to soil, placed in the petri dishes for pupation.

I Mycology & Microbiology Department

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The data were recorded on the morphometric characters
and the durations of life stages. The experiment was
replicated five times and data were statistically analyzed.
The morhpometric measurements were taken with the help
of a micrometer and a stereo-binocular microscope.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Life cycle parameters
There were five instars of looper recorded in its complete
life cycle. The young loopers ate out very small holes along
the margins of young leaves and then cut off small pieces
at the margins. With the progress of growth, the caterpillars
voraciously consumed mature tea leaves. The observations
made in the laboratory are presented in Table I.
Egg
Eggs were greenish blue in colour and oval in shape, measure
about 0.06 0.008 cm in length, 0.04 0.012 cm in breadth and
0.0002 0.000 I g in weight. The incubation period was about 6.2
0.45 days.
Larval stages
First instar: First instar larva was black to brownish black
in colour with seven transverse white stripes. At this stage
the larva was about 0.30 0.16 cm in length, 0.08 0.02 cm
in breadth and weighed about 0.00 I 0.0004 g. This stage
lasted for 2.4 0.54 days (Plate I).
Second instar: At this stage the larval colour turned to
dark brown. Seven transverse stripes and white spots
appeared throughout the body and a slightly off-white
lateral line became distinct at this stage with three pairs of
thoracic legs, the larva was 0.64 0.24 cm in length, 0.11
0.04 cm in breadth and weighed 0.005 0.002 g. Duration of
the 2nd instar larva was 2.6 0.55 days (Plate 2).
Third instar: The third instal' larva was brownish to dark
brown in colour with seven white transverse stripes and
white spots on the dorsal side of the body. At this stage,
the off-white lateral lines became more prominent. The III
instar larva was about 1.4 0.21 cm in length, 0.14 0.04 cm
in breadth and weighed 0.013 0.004 g.. The larval stage
lasted for 3.6+0.55 days (Plate 3).
Fourth instar: The body colour of the larva turned into light
brown to brown dorsally and blackish brown ventrally Two
oblique black lines were present dorso -laterally at the upper
edges of the thoracic legs. One pair of abdominal legs, nine
pairs of spiracles and a pair of clasper were present at the hind
end ofthe body. Anal flap was slightly dark brown in colour,
while the colour of the lateral line remained the same. The
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fourth instar larva was 3.66 0.44 cm long, 0.32 0.06 cm
broad and 0.269 0.04 g in weight. Its duration was 3.8 0.45
days (Plate 4).
Fifth instar: The fifth instar larva was dark brown in colour
dorsally, with minute black spots and light brown in colour
ventrally with white spots. Mouth parts were reddish brown
in colour and covered with minute white spots. The anal flap
was light brown. Nine pairs of spiracles were prominent at
this stage. The whole body was covered with small brown
tufts ofhair while the colour of the lateral line remained the
same. The fifth instar larva was 5.06 0.40 cm in length, 0.58
0.08 cm in breadth and weighed 0.441 0.07 g. The duration
ofthis stage was 5.4 0.55 days (Plate 5).
Pupa
The pupa was blackish red in colour. The female pupa was
bigger than the male pupa. The male pupa was 1.34 O. I 1
cm in length, 0.38 0.08 cm in breadth and 0.157 0.02 g in
weight whereas the female pupa was 1.76 0.21 cm in length,
0.54 0.08 cm in breadth and 0.281 0.03 g in weight. The
pupal periods of male and female were 7.8 0.45 days and
9.4 0.55 days respectively (Plate 6).
Adult
The wing colour of the male moth was brownish with minute
black spots. Two distinct white spots were present at the
apical region of the foreWing. Body was blackish brown in
colour dorsally, head dark brown, thorax blackish and
abdomen was brown in colour. Ventrally, the whole body
was brown in colour with a blackish brown lateral line in
each side of the body. The antennae were bi-pectinate and
blackish brown in colour. Wing span of the male moth was
about 3.38 0.13 cm. Male moth was 1.44 0.11 cm long,
0.25 0.05 cm wide and weighed O. I38 0.04 g. The longevity
of male moth was 5.6 0.55 days (Plate 7).
The wings of female moth were blackish brown in colour.
Head was dark brown, thorax light brown and dorsal side
of the abdomen was brownish grey with a greenish tinge.
The abdomen was light brown ventrally, wings were pointed
and designed with wavy lines of dark shades of grey and
brown; upper portion of the forewing slightly greenish in
colour. Two prominent white spots were present at the apical
point of the fore wing. The antennae were filliform and
slightly brown in colour. The base of the antennae was
light brown in colour whereas the apical portion slightly
green
The wing span of the female moth was about 4.7 0.35 cm.
Female moth was about 1.78 0.19 cm long, 0.48 0.08 cm
wide and weighed about 0.253 0.05 g. The longevity of
female moth was about 6.6 0.55 days (Plate 8).
 Plate 1. First instar larva Plate 2. Second instar larva

Plate 3. Third instar larva Plate 4. Fourth instar larva

Plate 5. Fifth ins tar larva Plate 6. Pupa

Plate 7. Male moth Plate 8. Female moth

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Visits were also made to different gardens to collect Table I b. Percentage occurence offungi
Helope/tis infected shoots and Helope/tis adults/nymphs.
Fungal Species Mean % Occurrence
Acremonill/lI sp. 33.71
Live adults of Helopeltis were collected in sterilized wide 27.46
Cladosporium sp.
mouthed tubes from field and brought to the laboratory. Fusarium sp. 28.85
Then 10 ml of sterilized distilled water was poured into the Trichoderma sp. 17.79
tube containing 10 insects that were allowed to remain in Aspergi llusflavus 1.45
the water for half an hour. This was done to bring all Curvularia sp. 9.04
Peniciliwl1 sp. 7.65
associated microbes into the suspension. One ml of aliquot 15.19
Aspergillus niger
was poured into sterilized petri plates and molten Rose
* Data of one year
Bengal Chloramphenicol agar was added. Three replicates
were maintained. Plates were incubated and observations
Species composition of mycoflora commonly associated
were recorded. Fungi were observed under microscope and
with H. theivora showed a great diversity. The percent
indentified. Dominant fugal species were isolated and pure
occurrence of fungal species associated as surface
cultured and subsequently subjected to pathogenicity trial,
mycoflora of H. theivora showed that Acremonium sp. was
under in vitro condition (Tables Ia and 1b).
the most common (33.71%) followed by Fusarium sp.
(28.85%). Penicilium sp. was least encountered during the
During the period adults of Helope/tis infected by microbes study. Percent occurrence of surface mycoflora of H.
were also encountered and collected. The natural infection
theivora in Cladosporium sp., Trichoderma sp., A.jlavus.
of He/ope/tis was, however, very rare and encountered only Curvulariasp.,A. niger was 27.46, 17.79, 1.45,9.04, 15.19,
in a few occasions. during our survey. respectively.

Pathogenecity trial 1. Pathogenecity trial

Effects of fungal strains, viz., Cladosporium sp., A. niger A. Cladosporium sp.

and A. flavus were studied as per the methods of Yondell
and Rosario( 1972) with a little modification. Aqueous spore Table 2a(i). Antifeedant activity of Cladosporium sp. against
suspensions at different concentrations were prepared and H. tlleivora
sprayed on tea shoots fitted in a glass tube containing water
Treatments % reduction over control after
and placed inside a glass chimney to maintain the required
(Spore concentration) 24 hr 48 hr
humidity along with a set of control. Later H. theivora were 1% (2x I 0('/ ml) -29.8 (337.5) 0.5 (266.5)
released and allowed to feed upon healthy tea shoots. 5% (2" 107/ ml) 16.5 (217.0) 18.8 (217.5)
Observations on the feeding rate by counting puncture marks 10%(2x1O'''/ml) 61.3(100.5) 52.2(128.0)
and mortality were recorded. Results are tabulated in Table Control (260.5) (268.0)
2a(i), Table 2b(i), Table 2b(ii), Table 2c(i) and Table 2c(ii). *Figures in brackets denote mean number of feeding spots

Seven days old culture of Cladosporium was raised on PDA

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION medium and used for the experiment. Cladosporium sp. spore
suspensions were applied against H. theivora under
Table la. Seasonal occurrence of associated mycoflora of laboratory condition at 1, 5 and 10% concentrations. At 1%
H. theivora concentration feed ing rate increased control after 24 hours of
treatment application but showed negligible reduction (0.5%)
Sea9Jn Mean ctll mycofloralml/Helopeltis
after 48 hours. At 5 and 10% concentrations, feeding rates
Pre-monsoon 12.32 decreased to 18.8 and 52.2% after 48 hours compared to
Monsoon 10.24 untreated control. Cladosporium spore suspension caused
Post-monsoon 14-30
no mortality of Helopeltis, however feeding rate of Helopeltis
was found to decrease significantly which might be due to
It is evident from Table 1a that surface mycoflora of the effect offungal metabolites.
Helopeltis varied depending on the season. The maximum
B. A. niger
mycoflora were recorded during post-monsoon period
followed by pre-moonson period and monsoon period. The It is evident from Table 2b(i) that highest reduction of
variation of mycoflora may be due to the variation of feeding spots was caused by 100% spore suspension. There
airborne microbes which generally tend to deposit in higher were 5 and 28% decrease in feeding ater 24 and 72 hours of
number during post-monsoon period where rainy stormy application. Lower concentration offungal suspension did
days are minimum.
not show the desired level of activity.

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Table 2b (i). Antifeedant activity of A. niger against fl. REFERENCES
theivora
Agnihothrudu, V. (1964). A world list offungi on tea. Madras
Treatment % red uction over control a fieI'
(Spore concentration) 24 hI' 72 hI' University Journal. XXXIV (B): 156 pp.
100 % (20x10bl ml) 5(196.5) 28(2795)
50% (lOx lObi ml) 4 (1980) 20 (3080) Baruah, GC.S. (1983). Fungi in biological control ofTea pests
10% (2xlobl ml) 2 (202 0) 3 (3080) and diseases in N. E. India. Two Bud, 30:5-7.
Control - (207.0) - (386.0)

* Figures in brackets denote mean number of feeding spots Das, GM. (1959). The problems of pest control in tea. Science
and Culture, 24:493-8.
Table2b(ii). Bio-efficacy of A. niger against H.
theivora
Das, G.M. (1965). Memorandum No. 27. Indian Tea
Treatment % mortality after 24 hI' % mortality after 72 hI' Association, Tocklai Experimental Station, Jorhat-
(Spore No. of No of % No. of No. of % 785008, Assam.
concentration) Insects insects mortality insects insects mortal ity
tested died died
100% 20 2 10 18 Ferron, P. (1975). Biological control of insect pests by
50% 20 20 8 40 entomogenous fungi. Ann. Rev Ent. 23:409-42.
10% 20 20
Control 20 20
Muraleedharan, N. and Selvasundaram, R. (2002). An IPM
package in tea in India. Planters' chronicle,
It is evident from Table 2b(ii) that spore suspension of A.
98(2): 107-24.
niger at 100% concentration caused 10% mortal ity after 24
hours and 40% mortality at 50% concentration after 72 hours
of treatment. Satapathy, C. R., Chinnaswamy, K. P. and Joseph, I. M.,
1995. Pathogenecity of Aspergillus tamari, Kifa
on the mosquito bug, Helopeltis antonii. Insect
A. A.j/avus
Environ. 1:9-11.

Table 2c(i). Antifeedant activity of A. j1avus against fl. Sathiama, B. and Saraswathy, N., 1990. Mycosis on
theivora Helopetis antonii.lndianJ. Entomol. 52:516.
Treatment % reduction over control after
(Spore concentrations) 24 hr 48 hI' St. Leger R. J., S. C. Screen and B. S. Pirzadeh, (2000). Lack
of host specialization in Aspergillus j/avus. Appl.
Ixl oro cfu/ml 45.1 (42.0) 30.9 (48.0)
Environ. Microbial. 66:320-4.
Control - (76.5) - (69.5)
* Figures in brackets denote mean number of feeding spots
Sundararaju, D. Sundara Babu, P. C., 1999. Helopeltis spp.
(Heteroptera: Miridae) and their management in
It is evident from the Table 2c(i) that reduction in the number plantation and horticultural crops ofIndia. 1. Plant.
of feeding spots by H. theivora was 45.1 and 30.9% after Crops 27: 155-74.
24 and 48 hours from spraying of A. flavus spore
suspension. Mortality was 25% after 48 hours of Yondell, W. G. and Rosario, S. B., 1972. Laboratory evaluation
application (Table 2c(ii)). A.j/avus is considered as a weak of methods for inoculating termites with
entomopathogen occurring on various insect species (St. entomopthoraceous fungi. 1. Econ. Ent., 65: 1027-9.
Leger et al., 2000).

Table 2c(ii). Bio-efficacy of A. j1avus against H. theivora

Treatn~l % nnrtality afle- 24 hI' % mortality afler 48 hI'
(Spore No. of No. of % No. of No. of %
conrentmtion) insects insecls nmtality insecls in~et mortality
tesled ditXI testtXI ditXI
Ixl om cfiJlni 8 8 2 25
Control 8 8

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