Bajara blister beetle

blister beetle infesting bajra crop in gujarat by gaurang rudani

1. BAJARA BLISTER BEETLE SUBMITTED BY : Rudani Gaurang K. M.Sc.(Agri.)Entomology Semester: 1 st C. P. College of Agriculture, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar SUBMITTED TO : Dr. F. K. Chaudhary Associate Professor Department of Agril . Entomology C. P. College of Agriculture, S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar .

2. Blister beetle Mylabris pustulata Gyllenhal Family: Meloidae Order: Coleoptera Kingdom:  Animalia Phylum:  Arthropoda Class : Insecta

3. INTRODUCTION Blister beetles are important member of order Coleoptera and specifically are termed as family Meloidae . These beetles are stated as blister due to secretion of a chemically blistering agent ‘ Cantharidin ’. That secretion is defensive in nature . It is estimated that blister beetles have more than 2500 species in approximately 120 genera . These beetles are phytophagous . They feed on plant leaves and flowers of alfalfa, soya bean, other beans, Millets, potatoes and other horticultural plants . All blister beetle larvae are specialized predators . Larvae of most of the species enter the nests of wild bees and feed on immature bees and reserved provisions . Larvae also consume eggs of grasshoppers

4. MARKS OF IDENTIFICATION Eggs  - are light yellowish in colour and cylindrical in shape Larva  - Young grubs are white in colour.

5. Adult Adults range from half to one inch long. Bluish black in colour with reddish brown stripes across their elytra. The body is narrow and elongated with wider head than protonum . ( protonum : the dorsal sclerite of the prothorax). Other species are smaller with light brown or metallic greenish blue in colour . Wing covers are flexible and rounded over the abdomen. The color of these cover varies from black to gray to brown . Antennae of blister beetle is filiform .

6. LIFE HISTORY Female beetles lay clusters of 100-120 eggs in the soil in late summer . The egg period is 15 days . The small, active larvae that hatch from these eggs crawl over the soil surface entering cracks in search for grasshopper eggs deposited in the soil . After finding grasshopper eggs or bee egg, blister beetle larvae becomes immobile and spends the rest of their developmental time as legless grubs . Larva undergo a Hypermetamorphosis in their development. The unique feature of this beetle is triungulin larva. The first instar larva develops to legless grub and is parasitic in nature . The larvae pupate in soil and emerges as adults . The species become active during summer season.

7. Blister Beetle Life Cycle A adult, E egg, T first instar or triungulin , FG first grub phase, C coarctate phase in instar six or seven, SG second grub phase, P pupa

8. NATURE OF DAMAGE Damaging Stage- Adult The adults feed on the pollen and flowers and cause considerable damage. As a result of feeding blister beetle, reduce the setting of grains . It causes heavy yield loss . When disturbed the beetles emit a fluid containing the oil principle, Cantharidin , which has irritant properties, through the openings in the apices of the femur which causes Blister . The larvae remain in soil and feed on the eggs of grasshopper and works as a beneficial stage .

9. Damage Photos

10. MANAGEMENT Cultural Methods Deep ploughing during summer. Crop rotation with non host crop.

11. MANAGEMENT Mechanical methods Mechanical collection of grown up larva and adult and destroy them with kerosene water. Removal and destruction of affected plant parts Remove unwanted host plant from the plot and field area.

12. MANAGEMENT Physical methods Set up light trap 1 per hectare for collection and destruction of adult insect.

13. MANAGEMENT Biological method Spray Azadirachtin   10,000 ppm @30 ml/10 lit. of water R eleases of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis @ 50,000/ha

14. MANAGEMENT Chemical method Spray anyone of the following insecticides at ETL level Quinalphos 25%EC 30 ml/10 lit. of water Profenophos 40% + cypermethrin 4% (44 EC) 25 ml/10 lit. of water Emamectin benzoate 5 WG 20 g/10 lit. of water Fenvalerate 20 EC 20 ml/10 lit. of water Phosalone 0.07% (spray fluid 625 ml/ha)

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