Bihar hairy caterpillar: Spilosoma obliqua
Symptoms of damage:

• Defoliation.
• In severe infestation, whole plant eaten away leaving only the stems.

Identification of the pest:

• Eggs: Laid in clusters on the underside of the leaves.
• Larva: Orange coloured covered with long yellowish to black hairs with tuft of yellow hair that are dark at both end.
• Pupa:  Pupation in silken cocoon.
• Adult: Medium sized brown moth with red abdomen.
• Wings are pink coloured with numerous black spots.

Management:

• Pre-monsoon deep ploughing to expose the hibernating pupae to sunlight and predatory birds.
• Collect and destroy eggs and young caterpillars

Larva	Adult