Status of Coconut Blackheaded Caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker and Evaluation of Bio-agents

Regular monitoring of gardens provided a fore warning for timely adoption of control measures and good pest suppression. Release of larval (Bracon hebetor Goniozus nephantidis) and pupal (Brachymeria nosatoi) parasitoids could bring down pest population from 16.73 to 8.73/palm with 30% parasitisation. Cardiastethus exiguus an anthocorid predator also proved effective in pest suppression from 102.3 to 5.4/palm with 21.5% of population. The release of bio-agents could be employed for successful suppression of blackheaded caterpillar which was safe, economical and perpetual wing of IPM.