All India Co-ordinated Research Prject on Biological Control of Crop Pests and Weeds, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Bangalore-560 089.
* Present address: Biological Control Centre, Bellary Road, P. B. No. 2491, H. A. Farm Post, Bangalore 560024.
Four species of butterflies viz. Papilio demoleus L., P. polytes L., P. polymnestor Cram. and P. helenus L. have been recorded damaging citrus in South India (Malnad area and Shevroy and Pulney hills of Tamil Nadu). Results of roving survey conducted from 1974 to 1983 on the natural enemies of Papilio spp. have been reported. From the caterpillars Braconid Apanteles papilionis Viereck, Ichneumonids Dusona sp., Melalophacharops sp., and Tachinid Blepharipa sp., from pupae Chalcids Brachymeria? jambolana Gahan; Pteromalus puparium (L.), Ichneumonid Holcojoppa coelopyga Morley and Blepharipa sp. have been reared. All the species of natural enemeies were recovered from P. demoleus and most species attack all the Papilio spp. A. papilionis and Melalophacharops sp. among the larval and P. puparium and H. coelopyga from the pupae are the potential parasitoids. Melalophacharops sp. has been recorded as a key parasitoid. H. coelopyga undergoes diapause inside the host pupae for 81–135 days. From the distribution range of P. puparium it appears that it may prove more effective in temperate or sub-tropical areas.
Several predators, and entomopathogens-bacterium Serratia marcescens Bizio and fungus Fusarium sp. killed substantial population of Papilio spp. Ichneumonid Mesochorus sp., and B. jambolana have been recorded as hyperparasitoids of key parasitoid Melalophacharops sp. The distribution of key parasitoid Melalophacharops sp. in other areas and countries is suggested.
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