Crops: Rice Insect Pests
Leaf folder - Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Pyralidae : Lepidoptera))
- Leaf folder is considered as important pest in Rice. .
- Adult is a small brownish orange colored moth. There are two distinct dark wavy lines on fore and hind wings which have a dark brown to grey band on their outer margin.
- Females lay eggs on the surface near midrib.
- Full grown larvae are greenish yellow in colour. Population occurs within the leaf folds.
- Larvae feed on leaf tissue mid as they become older they fold the leaves longitudinally by bringing together margins, glue with silken threads and live in tubes thus formed.
- They feed on chlorophyll, resulting initially in whitish longitudinal broad streaks on leaves, and later in membranous leaves giving scorched appearance.
- Vigour of the plant is reduced. It causes more damage at boot leaf stage of the crop.
- When 1 to 2 freshly damaged leaves per hill are present, the control measures should be commenced.
