Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa-848 125, Distt. Samastipur, Bihar (India).
*A part of approved M.Sc. thesis submitted by Md. Monobrullah to the Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa-848 125, District Samastipur, Bihar (India).
The pest commenced egg laying from mid February. Each female deposited 141–150 eggs on either side of the mid rib of a single leaf. The duration of ovipositional period was from mid February to the end of March. Freshly laid egg looked like a rectangular block with rounded corners and was almost transparent. The incubation and nymphal periods lasted from 215–225 and 140–145 days, respectively. There were six nymphal instars. The nymph was minute having 2 pairs of distinct wing pads, 3 pairs of legs and a pair of setaceous antennae. Freshly hatched nymph was yellowish in colour but changed in size and colour with the time. The body colour of both the sexes were similar but differed in size and shape of the abdomen. The female and male measured 3.175 ± 0.126 and 1.723 ± 0.102 mm in length and 1.697 ± 0.096 and 0.876 ± 0.053 mm in width, respectively.
