Fruit Sucking Moth

Scientific Name: Othreis fullonica (Clerck), Othreis materna (Linnaeus)
Family: Noctuidae
Order: Lepidoptera

It is Polyphagous pest (citrus, grape, mango, ber) widely distributed throughout Orient extending from Africa to New Guinea and Australia. The caterpillars of these are leaf defoliators on weed hosts viz., Tinospora cardifolia, Cocculus pendulus and Cocculus hirsutus. Peak activity period is July to October Only 

Appearance:

The moths have a strong proboscis with sharp spines. adults of O. fullonica has pale orange brown body with forewings dark grayish and the hind wings orange red with two black curved patches.The adult of O. materna has pale greenish gray upper wings with pale white markings and the lower wings with a marginal dark brown region mixed with white spots and a circular dark spot. The caterpillar is a semilooper, dark brown with yellow and red spots. Full grown caterpillars  are 50 - 60 mm long, stout, velvety-blue with yellow patterns on dorsal and lateral sides and having a hump at anal end.

Othreis materna (Linnaeus)  (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

Othreis fullonica (Clerck) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

Larva

 Life cycle:

• The moth lays 200-300 eggs on a weed, Tinospora cardifolia. Egg period is 8 -10 days. Full grown caterpillars are 50 - 60  mm long; Pupation takes place in a transparent pale whitish silken cover enclosed in leaf fold.
• Larval period is 28 – 30 days. Pupal period is 14 - 18 days. Pupates on the leaves itself.

 Nature of damage: 

Adult moth sucks the juice from ripening fruits with the help of strong proboscis with sharp spines by making puncture after dusk (sun set) during the rainy season.

 Damage symptoms:

A circular pinhole like spot appears at the feeding site.  Later on, the area around the damaged portion turns yellowish-brown. The punctured fruits are easily infected with bacteria and fungi. As a result, the fruit rot and falls prematurely. 

    

Punctured fruit