Rice yellow hairy caterpillar, Psalis pennatula Fabricius (Lymantriidae: Lepidoptera) an emerging pest of paddy in Assam

Psalis pennatula Fabricius, rice yellow hairy caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), earlier recorded as a minor pest from different rice growing areas of Assam, has been observed to increase in severity during recent years. The caterpillar is a voracious feeder and can consume whole leaves of tillers within a day. Keeping in view, an attempt was made to study its biology at the Department of Entomology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat under laboratory conditions of 29 ± 1°C and RH 80 ± 5%. The study indicated that the insect completed its life cycle within 51 to 69 days. The incubation period ranged from 4 to 6 days. The larvae passed through six to seven instars. The total fecundity of P. pennatula ranged from 25–108 eggs. The adult male lived for 6.5 to 8 days whereas the female lived for 5 to 7 days.