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Since the art of camouflage is the biggest
asset of these devouring devils, they utilise it to there advantage.
After the young ones emerge from singly laid, cream yellow tiny eggs,
they look sluggish, shiny glistening drop of bird. Their colour is, deep
green with small white streaks, exactly like birds’ excreta. The birds
however, do not eat their own excreta. They escape. Over a period of
time, extending to a few weeks, these insects develop into green larvae
nearly an inch or so long. These are heavy feeders. Come near them, and
they throw out two red extensions from their head which — even though
they are harmless — are dreaded repulsive. You may also confront an
offensive odour. In case of young plants where you find leaves
half-eaten, you can look for these larvae or else look near the base of
the plant.
You may find their excreta as small
identical granules spread on the ground, a sure sign of their presence
on the plant. The rest depends upon your observation and skill in
eliminating them preferably physical or by chemical means. To control it
chemically, spray Sevin at two-and-a-half gm to a litre of water or
Rogor at one millilitre to one litre of water. Repeat the spray after a
fortnight.
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