Oiketicus kirbyi (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) A Pest of Bananas In Costa Rica

Abstract

The bagworm, Oiketicus kirbyi Guilding, became a new leaf feeding pest of bananas in southern Costa Rica the latter part of 1958. Eggs hatched in 27 to 32 days. The larval stage varied from 207 to 382 days. The female pupal period lasted 10 to 33 days as compared with 39 to 111 days for the male pupae. The larva-like female adults lived up to 14 days. One female deposited 6,756 eggs. Male moths reared in the insectary lived 3 to 5 days and rarely mated in cages. Applications of 0.75 pound of actual dieldrin or 2 pounds of actual toxaphene per acre by helicopter or hose controlled small and medium-sized larvae. Two dipterous parasites, Sarcophaga (Sarcodexia) lambens Wiedemann and Achaetoneura sp., attack medium and large bagworns. Lphiau1ax sp., a braconid, parasitizes all sizes of larvae whereas Psychidosmicra sp. (? brethesi Blanch.), a chalcid, attacks only small larvae. Both parasites are considered important in the control of this bagworm. Psychidosmicra sp. is hyperparasitized by Spilochalcis sp. Other hymenopterous parasites occasionally found in smaller bagworms are Perisiorola sp., two new genera and species of Cryptinae, Phobetes , sp., Carinodes sp., and a new genus near Echthrus. Christolia sp., Casinaria sp., and Spilochalcis femorata (Fabricius) are suspected as bagworm parasites. Predacious ants frequently attack larvae of all sizes. Egg masses are attacked by unidentified mites. A microsporidian, Nosema sp., and a fungus, Beauvaria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillmen, infect all larval stages. Two unknown larval predators, thought to be Anolis lizards, and a bird account for a major part of natural control.