Effect of Bird Predation and Egg Parasitism on Castor Semilooper Achaea janata Linn. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Gujarat

The castor semilooper, Achaea janata Linn. appeared in epidemic form during September-October, 1985. A total of eighteen species of birds were recorded feeding on the A. janata larvae. About 300 Rosy Pastors, Sturnus roseus fed on A. janata for 8 days. Due to the heavy bird predation on large size larvae, pupal count was reduced. Egg parasitism by Trichogramma chilonis Ishii and Telenomous sp. progressively increased from 50.0 to 92.2 per cent. Despite heavy egg parasitism, larval density reached as high as 8.91 per plant. Heavy predation by birds and higber egg parasitism had failed to control the population of A. janata in epidemic situation.