POMEGRANATE FRUIT BORER

Scientific Name: Virachola isocrates (Fabricius)
Family: Lycaenidae
Order: Lepidoptera
Common name: Anar Butterfly

Pomegranate fruit borer or pomegranate butterfly is the most widespread, polyphagous and destructive pest distributed all over India and  common in Asia. Peak incidence is during the month of August in monsoon season, while it is more during November/December in winter crop.Infestation from flowering to button stage causing loss up to 50 per cent of the fruit    

Appearance:

Adult bluish brown butterfly, female with V shaped patch on forewing. Full-grown larvae are dark brown with short hair and white patches all over the body and measures about 16 to 20mm long.

Adult: Deudorix (Virachola) isocrates

Adult

Larva

 Life cycle:

Eggs are laid singly on tender leaves, stalks and flower buds. Incubation period lasts 7-10 days, larval period lasts for 18-47 days. Pupation occurs either inside the damaged fruits or on the stalk holding it. Pupal period lasts for 7-34 days. Total life cycle is completed in 1 to 2 months.

 Nature of damage:

The larvae bore into the pomegranate fruits soon after hatching. Once inside the fruit, larvae (approx 2cm length) feed on the flesh and seeds.  The bored hole is plugged by the last abdominal segment of the larva. When fully grown, the  larva comes out by boring through the hard shell and spins a web, which ties the fruit, stalk to the main branch.

 Damage symptoms:

Offensive smell and excreta of caterpillars coming out of the entry holes with excreta stuck around the holes.The fruits rot and drop off. The holes ultimately expose the rest of the fruit to disease, and typically rot off the tree.

Holes  on fruit

Fruit get rot and Drop down