1Institute of Plant Protection, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
2Regional Agriculture Research Institute, Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan
3Entomological Research Sub-Station, Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan
4State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing100193, China
*Email: ramzan.mnsua@gmail.com (corresponding author)
Online Published on 17 December, 2025.
Leaf eating caterpillar Trilocha varians (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is a serious pest of Ficus spp. (Ficus benghalensis, F. infectoria, F. benjamina, F. religiosa, F. elastica). Larvae of T. varians feed on all parts of plants (leaves, twigs, branches) which ultimately caused 80-90% defoliation and even death of plant. Current study was conducted to check the most preferable host plant for this pest. Results showed that F. benjamina and F. virens hosts while Morus alba and Ficus elastica were not fed by larvae. Total development period from egg to male on F. benjamina took (25.99± 1.12d) days followed by F. virens (27.33± 1.21d) and F. religiosa (19.91± 1.11d). While developmental period from egg to female adult was on F. benjamina (29.78± 1.99d) followed by F. virens (30.88± 1.67d) and F. religiosa (21.78± 1.60d).
Bomycid moth, Lepidoptera, Trilocha varians, Ficus virens, Ficus benjamina, Ficus religiosa, Ficus elastic, Weeping fig, Ornamental plants, Pakistan
