The document discusses several forest pests that affect popular, kail, and shisham trees in Pakistan. It describes the identification, life cycle, and control methods for:
1) The popular sapwood borer (Aeolasthes sarta), which kills 20-40% of popular trees in dry, cold areas.
2) The popular pith borer (Apriona cinerea) and popular defoliator (Ichthyura anastomoris).
3) The kail defoliator (Biston regalis), which caused serious defoliation of kail trees in 1981.
4) The shisham defoliator (Plecoptera reflexa
On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
Forest insects
1. POPULAR SAPWOOD BORER
1. Aeolasthes sarta (sapwood borer or quetta borer
2. Apriona cinerea (Popular Pith borer)
3. Ichthyura anastomoris (Popular defoliator)
Aeolasthes sarta (sapwood borer or quetta borer
Distribution: Occurs in dry, cold and hilly areas of
Pakistan ie Peshawar, Quetta, Chitral, Gilgit, Dir, Swat
and Rawalpindi
It affects Populus nigra, P.alba killing 20 to 40% trees in
these areas
2. IDENTIFICATION
Beetles are 33 to 44 mm large. Steel gray in colour,
Antenae are more than twice the length of the body in
male and less than the length of the body in female
Life History: Beetles emerges in the month of March
April from pupae making round exit hole in the stem.
Mating take place on the stem and female lays eggs in
groups in April on the trunk. Male after mating live for 19
to 25 days while female for 7 to 15 days.Incubation period
ranges from 12 to 20 days. Larvae emerges from the
pupae feed on soft bark and then penetrate in the bark
making galleries. These galleries are irregular and are
packed with wood dust. Larvae pupate in sapwood. Larval
period is 17 months from April May to September october
of the following year
3. CONT…
Pupation takes place in October November and adult emerges in the
April May. So life cycle is 2 years
Control (Silvicultural)
1. Popular trees should be kept healthier through irrigation and fertilizers
2. As female lays eggs in wound so pruning or other mechanical injury
should be avoided
Biological
1. Common crow, wood peckers feed on early instar grubs
2. A fungus also infect the grub
3. Chemical
4. Spray of BHC insecticides during March April on popular stem can
kill the emerging beetles before mating and egg laying is prevented
4. KAIL DEFOLIATOR
Biston regalis
Occurs in Muree Forest Division and Kashmir
Importance: Cause serious defoliation in kail in 1981.
Identification: Brownish grey moths with white striped winged. Male
with brushy antenae and female moth with plan antenae
Life history: Emerging of moth take place from the pupae in the month
of May and June. Mating take place during night on the main trunk of the
tree. Male live for 3-6 days and female for 5-11 days after mating.
Oviposition take place in crakes and crevices of the bark at the rate of
571 to 2735 eggs per female. Creamy white in colour and spherical in
shape. Incubation period ranges from 12 to 14 days.
Larval blackish in colour. Feed on needles. Has two distinct horns on the
head. Larvae feed for 5-6 months i.e up to October November causing
stunted growth and defoliation.
5. CONT..
Larvae descend to ground through silken threads for pupation in october
November. The larvae form 3-4 inches deep chamber in the soil and
pupate there. Pupation period ranges from 7.5 to 10.5 months. Winter is
passed in pupal stage.
Control (Silvicultural).
Mix forest can reduce the attach
Some birds feed on the larvae and adult of the insect. Lizards.
Percupine etc also feed on pupae.
Mechanically the pest can be controlled by collection of pupae during
winter and its destruction through some mechanical measn
Spray of anti-moultant chemicals is also useful for its control.
6. SHISHAM DEFOLIATOR
Plecoptera reflexa Order Lepidoptera Occurs both in irrigated and non irrigated shisham
plantation through out Pakistan. The outbreak occurs in one or other plantation of shisham
and the trees remain leafless in most of the growing season which cause heavy setback in
growth of the trees.
Identification: Moth grayish brown with oblique irregular bands
Life history: The adult emerge from the hibernating pupae in the month of March with the
warming of the season. The adult being nocternal hide in shady places during day time
and become active at night. After mating eggs are laid singly on tender shoots (maximum
400eggs per female)
Incubation period is 1-5 days
Larvae emerge from the egg after hatching and start feeding on tender leaves of the
leading shoots. In the second and third instar they feed on the top leaves of tender shoots
and in the fourth instar they moves toward oldest leaves causing partially the first
generation and subsequently cause complete regeneration. Larval period is 8-18 days and
then it descend toward ground through silken threads towards earth for pupation.
Pupation take place under dried leaves and debris on the ground and period is 7-10 days.
7. CONTROL
Mechanically the the debris where it pupate can be collected and burnt
Collection of larvae at nursery stage
Spray of insecticides
8. CUTWORMS
Agrotis epsilon of order lepidoptera
Found throughout Pakistan in forest and agricultural crop. Serious pest of
nursery plants
They cut young plants close to the soil surface resulting in the death of the
plants.
Identification: Moth have long narrow forewing usually marked with shades and
hind wing pale or white
Life history
Moth emerge in the month of February and early March. Male live for 7-9 days
and female for 9-12 days. Mating take place at night.
Female lays eggs from 1200 to 1800 singly either on leaves of the host plant or
on the weeds in the crop in nurseries which incubate in 4-6 days
Early stage larvae feed on the inner surface of leaves and later on shift to the
base of the nursery plant. At day time they hide under earth surface and at night
become active and cut many plants at the surface of the soil
9. CUTWORMS CONT..
One or two bites are taken and then cut another plant and
in this way cause a lot of damage to the plant in a single
night, in case of heavy attack all the plants are destroyed
in few days.larval period is 23-25 days.
Pupation take place in soil in pupal chamber and period is
10-12 days
Control: Hoeing of nursery plants in march and april to
expose larvae and pupae to sunlight and predator
Flood irrigation to kill the hiding larvae
Hand collection of larvae also help in control
Light traps
Sevin dust at the crop in the evening
10. CHLAGHOZA CONE BORER
Dioryctria abietalla order Lepidoptera
Important seed pest.
The pest cause serious damage in the production of chalghoza seed and minor infestation in fir
seed
Identification: the moth have forewings grey and wing expanse of 25-35mm.
Life history:
Adult moth of first generation take place in April May of the first generation while in July of
second generation. Being nocturnal become active at night. Average longevity of male and
female ranges from 2-19 days.
Oviposition take place which are firmly glued to the surface of the cone. Number of eggs varies
from 10 200 per female.
Eggs are creamy white and oval in shape.
Incubation period ranges from 5-16 days
Larvae after hatching search for suitable places and then chew their way in the scales. For some
time they feed on the pulp of the scale and they make their way toward seed. When the seed is
eaten, the larvae moves to another seed for getting its food. This way of feeding on seed is
continued untill it become full grown. Average larval period is 30 days.
Incase of severe attack the entire cone and seeds are destroyed
Mature larvae make cocoon for pupation and pupation period ranges from 20-40 days.There are
two generation in a year and the second generation overwinter as pupae or larvae
Control
Collection of infested cone
Encouraging predators
Record of pathogen of the pest and their spread in the area to check the pest
11. PINE BAGWORM
Cryptothelea crameri order lepidoptera
Occurs in Mirpur forest division and AJK and is a serious pest of chir pine
Identification: Male moth with reddish brown wings with black streaks and body
clothed with dark brown hair. Female is 24-26 mm long devoid of wings looking like
an egg filled sac.
Life history: Adult moth emerge from mid May to Mid July. Male can fly and female
cannot fly and remain the bags throughout their life. Mating take place at night and
female lays eggs up to 600 to 3900 and packs it in the bag where she live. Male live
for a day and female for 3-10 days. Incubation period ranges from 10-15 days
Larvae on hatching stay within the bag and then crawl out of the bag. Soon after
dispersal larvae construct their bag with small bits of soft bark of twigs. Young larvae
carries their bag upright but in later instar the bags are carried in pendent position.
Young larvae feed on soft bark and then shift towards foliage and feed on needles for
3 months. A grwon larvae ties its bag to a twig and protrude its head and legs from
the bag, hold needle with legs and eat completely
Pupation period ranges from 10 to 11 month with five months of hibernation during
winter.The caterpillar keep its body inside the bags throughout its life
During pupation bags are fastened to twigs and both aperture of the bags are closed.
The larvae pupate in the bag. Male and female pupae are quite different. Pupal
period ranges from 15-30 days
Control
Hand collection of pupae and bags and burning
Crow feed on the larvae so encourage them
12. TERMITES
Termites belongs to order Isoptera and are a serious pest as they damage both the human
dwellings and the agricultural crops
Termites are known as social insects similar to hymenoptera such as ants or some bees.
Termites are small, lightly pigmented, insects that gain their nutrients by digesting the
cellulose present in wood. Mouth parts are modified for chewing. Their antennae are
beadlike (moniliform) or threadlike (filiform). Termites are unique insect among all social
insects because of having incomplete metamorphosis and caste system with division of
labour. Within each mature colony morphologically differentiated castes
individual such as reproductive adults, soldiers and workers are present.
Termites are widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world
but most of diversity is found in tropical forests
The function of winged adults in colony is dispersal and reproduction
Winged adults (alates or swarmers) represent a primary caste of individuals within the
termite colony. Winged adults can vary in color from light tan to reddish brown to nearly
black.
Winged adults or alates disperse from their colony in a series of flights or swarms at
precise times of the year. The timing of the flights varies among species, and within
species based on locality. Adults may be attracted to lights and start pairing. As swarmers
land on the ground, their wings are shed
and they start searching for a suitable place to initiate a colony. The males are attracted to
the females by a scent or pheromone. Together they dig into the wood or moist soil
depending on the species, and form a chamber. Mating occurs within the nuptial chamber,
and the queen once fertilized initiates the new colony as she begins to lay eggs. Of the
millions of alates that swarm every year, only a small percent, usually less than 1%,
survive to produce acolony
13. Workers are the primary foragers in a termite colony. They are soft-bodied creamy-white insects include
the largest caste within a termite colony. Workers are thet ermites that actually damage wood or
cellulose products. Regardless of their looks, they have powerful mouthparts adapted for chewing wood.
Workers perform a variety of tasksincluding: caring for the eggs and young larvae; constructing the
colony foraging network; rebuilding tunnels and galleries when they are damaged; foraging for and
providing food to alates, soldiers, and one another; supporting other termites when they molt; and
grooming and cleaning nestmates.
They can help soldiers to defend the colony if an attack occurs from ants or foreign termites.
Soldiers: Soldiers function simply to defend the colony against other termites and ants by
using their greatly enlarged jaws or mandibles.
Soldiers utilize two kinds of weapons for attacking intruders: mandibles and defensive secretions
Soldiers use their jaws to cut, puncture and even crush their opponent
Termites can be grouped into four catagories dampwood termites, drywood termites, subterranean
termites and mound builders. Dampwood termites are very restricted in their distribution.
As their name represents that they live and feed in moist wood particularly on fallen trees and stumps
on the forest floor. Drywood termites are common on most continents. Since drywood termites form
colonies within wood and they have no access to free water this is the reason for their name. Mound
builders are capable of building earthen towers 8 meters or more in height.
Termite mounds due to their numbers can dominate landscapes which are common in Africa, Australia,
Southeast Asia, and parts of South America but not found North America. Subterranean
termites are distributed throughout the tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of the world. These
termites form colonies within soil with no above-ground, mound-like indication of their presence, which
has made them difficult to study.
These termites represent the most widespread and economically structural insect pests in the urban
environment and also for agricultural areas of Pakistan
Control:
Deep ploghing of the field to destroy termites colonies
Bait technology and Fungus is used to infect the colony through workers
14. PODER POST BEETLE
Biology and Behavior
Powerpost beetle is a term used to describe several species of small (1/8-3/4 inches long),
wood-boring insects which reduce wood to a fine, flour-like powder. Damage is done by the
larvae as they create narrow, meandering tunnels in wood as they feed
Infestations are discovered after noticing small, round "shotholes" in the wood surface. These
are exit holes where adult beetles have chewed out of the wood after completing their
development. Newly-emerged adults mate and lay eggs on or below the surface of bare
(unfinished) wood. The eggs hatch into tiny larvae which bore into the wood, emerging as adults
1-5 years later, usually during April - July.
The two most common and destructive families of ppb are lyctidae and Anobiidae. Lyctid
powderpost beetles attack only wood products manufactured from hardwoods , e.g., oak, ash,
walnut
Anobiid ppb may attack both hardwoods and softwoods
Detecting Infestations
The key to avoiding serious problems from powderpost beetles is early detection. As noted
earlier, homeowners are much more likely to see damage than the beetles themselves. Since
tunneling and development of the larvae takes place entirely below the wood surface, the only
signs of infestation are the emergence holes made by the adults and the powder-like frass sifting
from the holes
Holes made by lyctid beetles are about the diameter of a pinhead whereas exit holes made by
anobiids are slightly larger
Preventions: wood with exit hole and improperly stored and dried wood should not be used
Moisture contents of wood should be below 13 percent
Infested plates should be replaced in furniture
Surface treatment of bare wood with insecticides
Fumigation
15. HONEY BEES ORDER HYMENOPTERA
Honey bees are social insect of order hymenoptera.
Apis melifera (European bees)
Apis cerana (small bees)
Apis dorsata (Hindustani bee)
Apis florea (Hill bee)
A typical honeybee colony consists of 50,000 to 60,000 sterile workers, 500 to 1000 drones (fertile males) and
one queen, the only fertile female in the colony and mother of the entire population of the hive
Complete metamorphosis
Workers provide virtually all of the efforts required to maintain function within a hive.
During the latter part of their life, each will travel up to two miles in search of pollen, nectar and water. Each
worker typically goes on ten food gathering journeys per day, each lasting approximately one hour
Queens can be distinguished from workers by their longer tapered abdomens and greater size. Queens
have the longest lifespan of all of the bees within the hive. Their major role centers around egg laying to insure
the vast numbers of individuals required to maintain ahive.
Drones are the male bees within a colony. Drones can be distinguished from workers and queens by
their large size, rectangular abdomens, large conspicuous eyes, and noisy flight. All drones lack a sting
Products
Honey, wax, Royal jelley,
Diseases
American foul brood is caused by Bacillus larvae. Infected colonies containing brood (larvae and pupae)
European foul brood is caused by Melissococcus pluton. It affects larvae up to 48 hours old, and kills
them within several days.
Mites i.e tracheal mites, Wax moth
Predators
1. lizards, wasps, hornets,
1. Precautions:
2. 1. Boxes should be kept clean. 2. avoid buiyng infected box 3. Proper diet of bees. 4. Protection from
predators
3. 5. Queen should be healthy and young. 6.Migration of boxes in dirt season 7. care in adverse climatic
conditions
16. SILKWORM
The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is the larva or caterpillar of a moth. Silk
has been made for at least 5000 years in China.
Complete metamorphosis
Female silkworm lays about 300 eggs at a time. It lays eggs on the
leaves of mulberry trees. The eggs are covered with gelatinous
secretion by which they stick to the leaves. Female moth(silkworm) lays
eggs and die after laying eggs as it does not eat anything. The eggs are
kept in a cool place so that it can be stored for a long time. In a
favourable condition,they hatch into larva. larva are produced in about 2
weeks from eggs in a temperature of 18 to 25 degree Celsius.
The eggs hatch in 10-14 days to produce a very small blackish first
instar larva, which feed on mulbery leaves. When the silkworm larva is
fully grown and ready to pupate, it stops feeding, looks for suitable
location and starts to spin a silken thread in which to form the cocoon.
Pupation period is 14-21 days.
DISEASES OF MULBERRY SILKWORM
Viral Disese
Bacterial Diseases
Fungal Diseases
Protozoan disease : Pebrine
17. VIRAL DISEASES
Symptom:
The larvae will be sluggish with swollen intersegmantal region
The integument of diseases larvae will be fragile and brakes easily
The larvae appear to be restless
The dead larvae hand by hind legs head downward
Management
Sun drying of rearing appliances for one/two days
Disinfection of rearing room and appliances with 5% bleaching powder
Disinfection of worms, trays and discarding of diseased worms
Ensure proper ventilation and air circulation
Provide proper bed spacing
Feed the larvae with nutritious mulberry leaves
Collect and burn infected larvae, faecal matter and bed refuses
Early diagnosis and rejection of infected lots
Bacterial diseases Bacteria and viruses cause the disease individually or in combination. Fluctuating temperature and
humidity and poor quality mulberry predispose the disease development.
The diseased larvae will be stunted in growth, dill lethargic soft and appear flaccid
The larvae vomit gut juice, develop dysentery and excrete chain type fecus.
The larvae on death emit foul smell
Management
Maintenance of hygienic condition
Disinfection of rearing room and appliances
Disinfection of worms, trays and discarding of sick worms
Avoid injury to the worms, overcrowding of trays and accumulation of faeces in the rearing bed
Feeding the larvae with healthy nutritious leaves.
Early diagnosis and rejection of infected lots
18. DISEASE OF SILKWORM Fungal diseases
The diseases larvae prior to death will be lethargic and on death are flaccid
oil specks may be seen on the surface of larvae
The diseased pupae will be hard & lighter.
Magagement
Sundry the rearing appliances.
Disinfect the rearing room and utensils with 5 per cent bleaching powder
Avoid low temperature and high humidity in the rearing room
Keep the rearing bed thin and dry
Early diagnosis and rejection of infected lots
Protozoal diseases i. e Pebrine diseases
Diseased larvae show slow growth, undersized body and poor appetite.
Diseased larvae reveal pale and flaccid body. Tiny black spots appear on larval
integument.
Dead larvae remain rubbery and do not undergo putrefaction(decay) shortly after death.
Management of Pebrine
Produce healthy eggs
Disinfection of rearing room and utensils
Maintain strict hygienic conditions during rearing
Collect and burn the diseased eggs, larvae, pupae and moths, bed refuses, faecal pellets,
etc