''Indarbela quadrinotata'', the bark-eating caterpillar, is a moth in the family Cossidae. It is found in India and

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

. It was described by Francis Walker in 1856.

Description

In the male, the head and thorax are rufus in color. Forewings pale rufus with a numerous dark rufus bands of strigae. A spot at the end of the cell is present and those between the median nervure and vein 1b is more prominent. Abdomen and hindwings are fuscous. In the female, the head, thorax and abdomen are ochreous white. Forewings are also ochreous white with markings as in male. Hindwings pale, slightly suffused with fuscous with numerous obsolescent brown striage. Caterpillars are pinkish white with brown spots. Pupae are chestnut brown in color. Eggs oval in shape and reddish.

Ecology

The caterpillar is a serious pest that attacks more than 30 crops. The larva bores into the trunk or branches about 15–25 cm deep. The tunnel created is empty in the day time, but is filled with caterpillar during the night. It damages the bark of the tree resulting in dieback of the stem.

Frass Frass refers loosely to the more or less solid excreta of insects, and to certain other related matter. Definition and etymology ''Frass'' is an informal term and accordingly it is variously used and variously defined. It is derived from the ...

is visible in affected areas. Crops that are readily attacked by the pest are: '' Albizia lebbeck'', ''

Albizia procera ''Albizia procera'', commonly known as white siris or karoi tree, is a species of large tree found natively in southeast Asia and India. It is most commonly found in open forests, but may also be found on the margins of rain forests and in monsoo ...

'', '' Anacardium occidentale'', ''

Camellia sinensis ''Camellia sinensis'' is a species of evergreen shrub or small tree in the flowering plant family Theaceae. Its leaves and leaf buds are used to produce the popular beverage, tea. Common names include tea plant, tea shrub, and tea tree (not to ...

'', '' Cassia fistula'', '' Chloroxylon swietenia'', '' Citrus reticulata'', '' Citrus sinensis'', ''Citrus'' × ''paradisi'', '' Corymbia citriodora'', ''

Eriobotrya japonica The loquat (''Eriobotrya japonica'') is a large evergreen shrub or tree, grown commercially for its orange fruit and for its leaves, which are used to make herbal tea. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant. The loquat is in the family ...

'', ''

Eucalyptus camaldulensis ''Eucalyptus camaldulensis'', commonly known as the river red gum, is a tree that is endemic to Australia. It has smooth white or cream-coloured bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven or nine, white flowers an ...

'', '' Falcataria moluccana'', '' Ficus benghalensis'', ''

Ficus carica The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...

'', '' Gmelina arborea'', '' Grewia asiatica'', ''

Hevea brasiliensis ''Hevea brasiliensis'', the Pará rubber tree, ''sharinga'' tree, seringueira, or most commonly, rubber tree or rubber plant, is a flowering plant belonging to the spurge family Euphorbiaceae Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large fami ...

'', '' Litchi chinensis'', '' Mangifera indica'', '' Manilkara zapota'', '' Mimusops elengi'', ''

Mitragyna parvifolia ''Mitragyna parvifolia'' is a tree species found in Asia, native to India and Sri Lanka. ''Mitragyna'' species are used medicinally and for their fine timber throughout the areas where they grow. ''M. parvifolia'' reaches heights of 50 feet wit ...

'', '' Moringa oleifera'', '' Morus alba'', '' Phyllanthus emblica'', ''

Populus deltoides ''Populus deltoides'', the eastern cottonwood or necklace poplar, is a Populus sect. Aigeiros, cottonwood Populus, poplar native to North America, growing throughout the eastern, central, and southwestern United States as well as the southern Ca ...

'', ''

Prunus armeniaca ''Prunus armeniaca'' is the most commonly cultivated apricot species. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation. Genetic studies indicate Central Asia is the center of origin. It is extensively cultivated ...

'', ''

Psidium guajava ''Psidium guajava'', the common guava, yellow guava, lemon guava, or apple guava is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Caribbean, Central America and South America. It is easily pollinated by insects; when cultivated, it is pollina ...

'', '' Punica granatum'', ''

Sesbania cannabina ''Sesbania'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, and the only genus found in tribe Sesbanieae. Riverhemp is a common name for plants in this genus. Notable species include the rattlebox ('' Sesbania punicea''), spiny sesb ...

'', ''

Syzygium cumini ''Syzygium cumini'', commonly known as Malabar plum, Java plum, black plum, jamun, jaman, jambul, or jambolan, is an evergreen tropical tree in the flowering plant family Myrtaceae, and favored for its fruit, timber, and ornamental value. It is ...

'', '' Tectona grandis'', '' Terminalia arjuna'', '' Theobroma cacao'', and '' Ziziphus mauritiana''. Control mainly takes place in the egg or larval stages. They can be chemically controlled by applying

methidathion Methidathion is an organophosphate insecticide; its use is banned in the European Union and USA. Methidathion has been used as an insecticide in many countries to control caterpillars of '' Indarbela quadrinotata''. In 2012, residues were foun ...

. Clones of '' Casuarina'' are known to show tolerance and resistance to caterpillars.

References

External links

*
Seasonal population variations of the bark eating caterpillar (''Indarbela quadrinotata'') in ''Casuarina'' plantations of Tamil NaduManagement of the Bark Caterpillar ''Indarbela quadrinotata'' in Forest Plantations of ''Paraserianthes galcataria''
Metarbelinae Moths described in 1856 {{Metarbelinae-stub