Abstract

Teak defoliator Hyblaea puera is an important pest of teak plantations in India. Birds are important predators of the pest. Observations conducted at Karimpuzha and Kariem Muriem in the Nilambur area showed that bird predation is an important natural control factor during outbreaks of Hyblaea puera. Forty eight species of birds were observed feeding on the larvae and pupae of the pest out of which 5 were migrants. Birds collected the larvae from leaves and trunks of teak, descending silk threads, underground vegetation and ground. While some species of birds are selective in choosing feeding zones, others collected larvae from all the zones. Pupae were collected from the leaves and also from the ground