Hairy Caterpillar (Spilosoma obliqua)

Symptoms

• Female moth lays eggs in clusters on lower side of leaves.
• Black coloured matured larvae feed voraciously on leaves and buds and cause severe defoliation.

Management

• Collection and destruction of egg masses and leaves infested with early larval instars of hairy caterpillar reduces pest build up.
• Deep ploughing in summer exposes pupae to predators.