Velvetbean Caterpillar

Caused by: Anticarsia gemmatalis
Problem Category: Insect
Symptoms: The larva causes damage to plant by feeding on leaves. The larva after hatching from egg starts feeding on leaves The first and second stage larva skeletonise the leaves by feeding only on soft parts. The later stage laraves consumes entire leaves. They will stripe the field just in four to seven days. The larvae may also feeds on tender stem, buds and pods.
Comments: Velvetbean caterpillars feeds on legume (like soybean, kudzu, velvetbean, horse beans, cowpea), cotton and several weeds. Generally moths lay eggs in mass under leaf surface.
Management: Encourage natural predators and parasites in the field; early or late planting of crops helps in escaping the insect attack; grow available resistant varieties; spray biocontrol agents like nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) and the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). If the incidence is severe spray suitable insecticide.
Control: Spary the chiili garlic extract or 5% Neem seed kernal extract