Abstract

The natural enemies of the hyblaeid Hyblaea puera and the pyralid Eutectona machaeralis were surveyed at 3 teak [Tectona grandis] plantations in Kerala, India, in 1983-85. Natural enemies of H. puera included 5 species of parasites (the chalcidid Brachymeria lasus, the tachinid Palexorista solennis, the eulophid Sympiesis sp. and 2 unidentified ichneumonids), 2 insect predators (the pentatomid Cantheconidea furcellata and the carabid Parena nigrolineata), 4 species of birds (Corvus macrorhynchos, Acridotheres tristis, Dicrurus adsimilis and Turdoides striatus) and a species of bacterial pathogen (Enterobacter aerogenes). The parasite Sympiesis sp., the bird predators and the bacteria are new records as natural enemies of H. puera. Other than the pupal parasite B. lasus all parasites recorded were found infesting the larvae of the pest. Parasitism ranged from 0 to 28 in 1983 and 0 to 26 in 1984. Of the birds C. macrorhynchos was an important predator of H. puera. The pathogen E. aerogenes was an efficient mortality factor under laboratory conditions. The was no major incidence of Eutectona machaeralis during the study period and little information was gathered on its natural enemies. Five species of parasites recorded include the braconids Apanteles sp. and Phanerotoma hendecasisella, the chalcidid Brachymeria hime attevae and 2 unidentified ichneumonids