Opisina arenosella

Last updated

Coconut black headed caterpillar
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Xyloryctidae
Genus: Opisina
Species:
O. arenosella
Binomial name
Opisina arenosella
Walker, 1864 [1]

The Coconut black headed caterpillar (Opisina arenosella), is a species of moth found in throughout East Asian countries including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, as well as Indonesia. It is considered a pest of coconut palm trees, causing considerable damage to the trees, and reducing the plant's yield significantly and can be a major problem where coconuts contribute to the economy. The species exists on coconut palms through its life stages from larval to moth, and utilizes the tree fronds as a main source of nutrition. Various methods of control have been explored, yet the primary control method is the administration of pesticides directly to the root of the coconut palms.

Contents

Identification

The coconut black-headed caterpillar is identifiable in the larval form as a caterpillar with greenish brown with dark brown head and prothorax, and a reddish mesothorax. There are often brown stripes on the body of the larva. [2]

Post pupation, the caterpillar morphs into a moth which is greyish white in colour. The female is distinguishable from the male in that it has longer antenna, and three faint spots on the forewings, while the males have fringed hairs in the apical and anal margins of the hind wings. [2]

Life cycle

Lower fronds of coconut drying up due to Opisina arenosella infestation Opisina symptoms.jpg
Lower fronds of coconut drying up due to Opisina arenosella infestation

The female moth lays eggs in small groups on the underside of coconut leaflets near to feeding larvae. The larvae hatch from the eggs after three days on average, and then move into the first of a series of larval instars. Larvae of O. arenosella generally go through five instars, but have been recorded to go through as many as eight instars in laboratory settings. Instars from one to five last 6 days, 7 days, 7 days, 5 days, and 10 days respectively, which makes the larval stage approximately 48 days in length. Larvae are generally less than 4.0 mm in size between instars 1 and 3, between 4.0 and 11.0 mm from instars 4 to 6, and larger than 11.0 mm in instars 7 and 8. [3] Some early larval and egg mortality has been observed in O. arenosella as a result of cannibalism on the eggs and younger larvae by older larvae. Adult coconut black-headed caterpillars rest under the surface of the damaged coconut palm leaves, where most of the damage to the coconut fronds can be observed. Larvae construct galleries of silk and frass, into which they retreat if disturbed. These galleries are also where pupation occurs, which lasts approximately eight days. [4] Little is known about the adult (moth) stage of O. arenosella. The organism is nocturnal, but their dispersal patterns are poorly understood.

Larvae are known to infest various palms, including Coconut palm, (Cocos nucifera), Palmyra palm, (Borassus flabellifer), Date palm, (Phoenix dactylifera), Wild date palm, (Phoenix sylvestris), Royal palm, (Oreodoxa oleracea) and the Fan Palm, (Livistona chinensis) [5]

Opisina arenosella has a number of different predators from various animal phyla. It has been known to be predated upon by birds, ants, spiders, mites, true bugs of the families Anthocoridae and Reduviidae, and Carabidae beetles. All of these predators aid in keeping the population reduced, however the population size becomes too immense during outbreaks to be maintained merely by predators. [4]

This organism in its larval form is widely affected by a nuclear polyhedrosis virus in the wild and by a number of different pathogens in laboratory settings. Pathogen infestation is a mild threat to O. arenosella, and has not been recorded as causing significant reductions to the population numbers. [4]

Pest status

While Opisina arenosella has been a known pest for decades, it was officially declared a pest in Sri Lanka in 1924, when it became a legal requirement to report any outbreaks to the agricultural authority. The Coconut Research Institute (CRI) became the leading agricultural authority in 1956, and have documents of all reported outbreaks between 1965 & 1985. Approximately 400 outbreaks were recorded in that period of time with many more recorded since [4] Outbreaks of O. arenosella have been recorded mainly in India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia, and pose problems at all times of the year. There is typically an increase in population in the early summer months (March- May), and the species has 4-5 generations annually, with a generation period of 8 weeks. [6]

Outbreaks have been attributed to high levels of humidity, and inversely, decreases in populations have been related to high environmental temperatures with large amounts of sun exposure and heavy rainfall. Years of heavy monsoon tend to yield high population numbers of O. arenosella, and the number of infestations in a region are oftentimes correlated, suggesting a common trigger of the population outbreaks. [6]

In areas of severe outbreak, thousands of palms are affected. O. arenosella consumes the lower epidermis and mesophyll of coconut fronds which contain chlorophyll The result of this eating leaves a characteristic scorched appearance to the leaves, and an inability to maintain their yield. In laboratory settings, the species has been known to consume as much as 1823 mm sq. of coconut frond material. [4] The greatest number of pests are normally found on fronds 12–24, leaving all but the youngest fronds unpopulated and undamaged. [4] The resulting reduction in the plant's yield from the damage has required a great need to develop effective control methods during periods of outbreak in order to maintain the worldwide demand for coconut product, as well as the economies of countries with affected crops. [6]

Management

To date, a number of various management strategies have been tested in reducing and managing the O. arenosella population. Originally management of the species was accomplished by removing the infested fronds of the coconut palms or using light traps in order to physically remove the infestation from the plant, however frond removal reduces the plant's yield drastically, and does not guarantee to resolve the infestation. [7] Chemical insecticides are of course used in the control of O. arenosella; however alternative methods to chemicals have been sought out in order to reduce the chemical residues on the produced fruit, as well as maintain the health of predatory animals such as birds and beneficial arthropods. Another method used, is control through the use of biopesticides, which come in many forms. Biopesticides have proven to be as effective as chemical pesticides in many cases. Control of the coconut black-headed caterpillar has been accomplished with the use of both garlic and neem based biopesticides. [3] These treatments act as a poison to the species, and is administered as O. arenosella consume the leaves. In studies, reduction of all stages of larvae as well as pupae were observed and drastically reduced the damage incurred by the palms. Plant pesticides, fly ash and lime have also shown promise as a natural pesticide. [8]

Another method utilized to suppress the population of O. arenosella is the augmentative release of pupal parasitoids. T. embryophagum, Trichogramma, Goniozus nephantidis and Bracon brevicornis are all known parasitoids of the species, and work by parasitizing the larvae at various instars. [9] G. nephantidis and B. brevicornis both parasitoid wasps, parasitize third to seventh instar larvae, leading to the eventual shrivelling and death of the organism. The wasps have been observed parasitizing up to 57% of the resident larvae, which would undoubtedly reduce the population of O. arenosella significantly. While G. nephantidis proves to be the dominant parasitizing species over B. brevicornis due to more developed parental care in B. brevicornis and therefore reduced number of parasitization, they both act as effective species in controlling the Coconut black-headed caterpillar. [9]

Pheromones can act as a means of monitoring and controlling an insect population, while being non-toxic to animals and plants, yet specific to the target pest. [7] Four different sex hormones have been identified and isolated from the female moth O. arenosella, and could potentially be useful in mass trappings, or mating disruption. While considerable progress has been made to adapt and develop this form of control, the current research is still preliminary and needs to be further tested. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitefly</span> Family of insects

Whiteflies are Hemipterans that typically feed on the undersides of plant leaves. They comprise the family Aleyrodidae, the only family in the superfamily Aleyrodoidea. More than 1550 species have been described.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indianmeal moth</span> Species of moth

The Indianmeal moth, also spelled Indian meal moth and Indian-meal moth, is a pyraloid moth of the family Pyralidae. Alternative common names are weevil moth, pantry moth, flour moth or grain moth. The almond moth and the raisin moth are commonly confused with the Indian-meal moth due to similar food sources and appearance. The species was named for feeding on Indian meal or cornmeal, and does not occur natively in India. It is also not to be confused with the Mediterranean flour moth, another common pest of stored grains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light brown apple moth</span> Species of moth (Epiphyas postvittana)

The light brown apple moth is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almond moth</span> Species of moth

The almond moth or tropical warehouse moth is a small, stored-product pest. Almond moths infest flour, bran, oats, and other grains, as well as dried fruits. It belongs to the family of snout moths (Pyralidae), and more specifically to the tribe Phycitini of the huge snout moth subfamily Phycitinae. This species may be confused with the related Indian mealmoth or the Mediterranean flour moth, which are also common pantry pests in the same subfamily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African armyworm</span> Species of moth

The African armyworm, also called okalombo, kommandowurm, or nutgrass armyworm, is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. The larvae often exhibit marching behavior when traveling to feeding sites, leading to the common name "armyworm". The caterpillars exhibit density-dependent polyphenism where larvae raised in isolation are green, while those raised in groups are black. These phases are termed solitaria and gregaria, respectively. Gregaria caterpillars are considered very deleterious pests, capable of destroying entire crops in a matter of weeks. The larvae feed on all types of grasses, early stages of cereal crops, sugarcane, and occasionally on coconut. The solitaria caterpillars are less active and undergo much slower development. The species is commonly found in Africa, but can also be seen in Yemen, some Pacific islands, and parts of Australia. African armyworm outbreaks tend to be devastating for farmland and pasture in these areas, with the highest-density outbreaks occurring during the rainy season after periods of prolonged drought. During the long dry seasons ("off-season"), the population densities are very low and no outbreaks are seen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mediterranean flour moth</span> Species of moth

The Mediterranean flour moth or mill moth is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It is a common pest of cereal grains, especially flour. This moth is found throughout the world, especially in countries with temperate climates. It prefers warm temperatures for more rapid development, but it can survive a wide range of temperatures.

<i>Choristoneura fumiferana</i> Species of moth

Choristoneura fumiferana, the eastern spruce budworm, is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae native to the eastern United States and Canada. The caterpillars feed on the needles of spruce and fir trees. Eastern spruce budworm populations can experience significant oscillations, with large outbreaks sometimes resulting in wide scale tree mortality. The first recorded outbreaks of the spruce budworm in the United States occurred in about 1807, and since 1909 there have been waves of budworm outbreaks throughout the eastern United States and Canada. In Canada, the major outbreaks occurred in periods circa 1910–20, c. 1940–50, and c. 1970–80, each of which impacted millions of hectares of forest. Longer-term tree-ring studies suggest that spruce budworm outbreaks have been recurring approximately every three decades since the 16th century, and paleoecological studies suggest the spruce budworm has been breaking out in eastern North America for thousands of years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levuana moth</span> Extinct species of moth

The levuana moth is an extinct species of moth in the family Zygaenidae. It is monotypic within the genus Levuana.

<i>Hyblaea puera</i> Moth species in family Hyblaeidae

Hyblaea puera, the teak defoliator, is a moth and cryptic species complex native to South Asia and South-east Asia. It was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1777. The species has also been recently reported to be present in Central America and Africa. The caterpillar feeds on teak and other trees. It is considered to be one of the major teak pests around the world.

<i>Glyptapanteles</i> Genus of wasps

Glyptapanteles is a genus of endoparasitoid wasps found in Central and North America and New Zealand. The larvae of the members of Glyptapanteles sp. are distinguished by their ability to manipulate their hosts into serving as bodyguards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fall armyworm</span> One of the worst farm pests, worldwide

The fall armyworm is a species in the order Lepidoptera and one of the species of the fall armyworm moths distinguished by their larval life stage. The term "armyworm" can refer to several species, often describing the large-scale invasive behavior of the species' larval stage. It is regarded as a pest and can damage and destroy a wide variety of crops, which causes large economic damage. Its scientific name derives from frugiperda, which is Latin for lost fruit, named because of the species' ability to destroy crops. Because of its propensity for destruction, the fall armyworm's habits and possibilities for crop protection have been studied in depth. It is also a notable case for studying sympatric speciation, as it appears to be diverging into two species currently. Another remarkable trait of the larva is that they consistently practice cannibalism, despite its fitness costs.

<i>Chloridea virescens</i> Species of moth

Chloridea virescens, commonly known as the tobacco budworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae found throughout the eastern and southwestern United States along with parts of Central America and South America.

<i>Cnaphalocrocis medinalis</i> Species of moth

Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, the rice leafroller, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It is found in south-east Asia, including Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and most of Australia.

<i>Tirathaba rufivena</i> Worms that eat oil-/coconut-palm flowers

Tirathaba rufivena, the coconut spike moth, greater coconut spike moth or oil palm bunch moth, is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It is found from south-east Asia to the Pacific islands, including Malaysia, the Cook Islands, the Philippines and the tropical region of Queensland, Australia. They are considered as a minor pest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asiatic rhinoceros beetle</span> Pacific (oil, coconut)-palm-eating beetle

The Asiatic rhinoceros beetle, coconut rhinoceros beetle or coconut palm rhinoceros beetle, is a species of rhinoceros beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. O. rhinoceros attacks the developing fronds of raffia, coconut, oil, and other palms in tropical Asia and a number of Pacific islands. Damaged fronds show typical triangular cuts. The beetle kills the palms when the growing point is destroyed during feeding. They also infest dead trunk debris.

<i>Lymantria dispar dispar</i> Species of moth (gypsy moth)

Lymantria dispar dispar or LDD moth, commonly known as the gypsy moth, European gypsy moth, North American gypsy moth, or spongy moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae that is of Eurasian origin. It has a range that extends over Europe, Africa, and North America.

<i>Aonidiella orientalis</i> Species of true bug

Aonidiella orientalis is a species of insect in the family Diaspididae, the armored scale insects. It is known commonly as the Oriental yellow scale. It is an agricultural pest on a wide variety of crop plants.

<i>Chlumetia transversa</i> Species of moth

Chlumetia transversa, the mango shoot borer, is a moth of the family Euteliidae. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1863. It is a widely distributed across Indo-Australian tropical countries far east to Solomon Islands.

Mahasena corbetti, the coconut case caterpillar, is a polyphagous species of bagworm. This species is classified as leaf-eating pest caterpillars that produce tough silk out of their bags from dried foliage. Currently, M. corbetti is considered a ‘pest of quarantine importance’ in multiple countries and is included on the list of dangerous pests in the Malaysian plant quarantine act.

Pteroma pendula, the oil palm bagworm or simply bagworm, is a species of bagworm moth found in East and Southeast Asia that infests oil palm plantations.

References

  1. List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, British Museum (Natural History). Department of Zoology. Vol. 29. London. 1864. pp. 562–835.
  2. 1 2 "Black headed caterpillar". IKP Center of advancement in agricultural practice. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 Gandhi, K.; Vignan, K. (2008–2009). Testing of garlic based bio-pesticide on insect pests of coconut (Cocus nucifera L.) (Report).
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hassell, M.P.; Godfray, H.C.J. (1989). "Population dynamics of the coconut caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae), in Sri Lanka". Cocos. 7: 42–57. doi: 10.4038/cocos.v7i0.2064 .
  5. Murthy, K.; Jalai, S.K. (2003). "Evaluation of artificial diets for Coconut Blackheaded caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker". Annals Plant Protection Science. 11 (1): 20–22.
  6. 1 2 3 Jalalai, S.K.; Venkatesan, T.; Murthy, K.S.; Bhaskaran, T.V.; Lalitha, Y. (2005). "Preliminary attempt at biological control of coconut leaf eating caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker using two Trichogramma species". Cord. 21 (2).
  7. 1 2 3 Cork, A.; Hall, D.R. (1998). "Application of pheromones for crop pest management in the Indian sub-continent". J. Asia-Pacific Entomol. 1 (1): 35–49. doi:10.1016/s1226-8615(08)60005-9.
  8. Kiruba, S.; Mishra, B.P.; Stalin, I.S.; Jeeva, S.; Dhas, S.S.M. (January 2006). "Traditional pest management practices in Kanyakumari district, southern peninsular India" (PDF). Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 5 (1): 71–74.
  9. 1 2 Venkatesan, T.; Jalali, S.K.; Srinivasamurthy, K. (July–September 2009). "Competitive interactions between Goniozus nephantidis and Bracon brevicornis, parasitoids of coconut pest Opisina arenosella". International Journal of Pest Management. 55 (3): 257–263. doi:10.1080/09670870902914155. S2CID   84830167.