Colonization and redistribution of Epiricania melanoleuca fletcher against Pyrilla perpusilla walker

Several outbreaks of Pyrilli occurred during the past, despite the occurrence and significant role of natural egg parasitoids. Nymph-adult parasitoid, Epiricania melanoleuca was not available in the field of coastal Andhra Pradesh. Two releases of the above parasitoid @ 500 cocoons and 100 egg masses at 15 days interval into three villages located 2.0 km apart revealed that the parasitoid established in the field and the higher level of mean pyrilla populations (24.23±13.53/leaf) were brought under control gradually to the level of 0.01±0.01/leaf. The parasitoid also naturally dispersed and established within a period of two years in other three sugarcane plantations located between 40–100 km away from the released fields and maintained pyrilla population at significantly low level. Apart from the other mode of dispersal of parasitoid was the transportation of sugar cane from released area.