Life cycle of cabbage caterpillar, Pieris brassicae Linn. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) on cabbage leaves in Talwandi Sabo (Punjab)

Abstract

Study on different biological parameters of cabbage caterpillar, Pieris brassicae was carried out in Guru Kashi University, Talwandi Sabo (Punjab) during 2018-19. The average incubation period of eggs was recorded as 4.3 days. The freshly laid eggs of the caterpillar were light yellow that turned grayish black prior to hatching. The average duration different larval instars, namely 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, lasted for 4.6, 5.9, 3.5, 3.1 and 4.3 days, respectively. The full grown larvae stopped feeding before pupation, which took place on rough surface i.e. muslin cloth. Total larval and pupal periods were recorded as 21.45 and 10.95 days, respectively. The females were longer lived than the males with average longevity of 9 and 8.15 days, respectively. The male to female sex ratio was 1:1.56. The fecundity of female was observed to be 163 eggs/female and the per cent hatchability 96.82. Larval and pupal survival was observed as 87 and 95 percent, respectively. Total life cycle of male and female was 45 and 46.5 days respectively. On an average, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5thinstar larvae measured 6.45, 13.3, 21.65, 33.65 and 40.75mm in length, respectively. The larval width of the corresponding instars were1.0, 2.0, 2.6, 3.75 and 4.75mm in breadth. The length and breadth of pupa were measured as 25.65±0.48 and 6.55±0.51mm, respectively and the body lengths of adult male and female were 21.95 and 22.8mm respectively. The breadth of fore and hind wings of male was 30.6 and 25.6mm and those of females was 32.25 and 26.7mm, respectively.