Biological Studies on Lymantria obfuscata Walker (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) in Kashmir

Biological studies of Lymantria obfuscata Walker showed that male moths after eelosion are attracted to female moths and copulation lasts for 1 hour to 2.05 hours. After preovipositional period of 1.05 to 6.05 hours on an average 462.3 globuler light pinkish eggs were laid in the Iirst week of June in a period of 3 to 6 days in the form of yellowish oval egg masses covered with a coating of yellowish brown hairs. Average incubation period was 302.80 days and hatching started in the last week of March. There were five larval instars and the total larval period lasted for 45.77 days and 49.50 days for males and females respectively. Full fed larvae spun few strands of silk and remained in prepupal form for a period of two to three days before transforming into reddish brown pupae. Male pupae were relatively smaller in size than the female ones and lasted for 14.37 and 10.42 days respectively. Eclosion of adults was diurnal. The dirty creamy white female moths were too heavy and unable to fly. Male moths were respectively small, darker in colour and flying during day. Male and female moths lived for 5.33 and 8.73 days respectively and there was no significant variation in the longevity of adult moths when provided with 5 per cent honey solution. There was only one generation of the pest in a year.