caterpillar bag

caterpillar bag One of the pests that need to be watched by the oil palm farmers is the caterpillar bag. This pest belongs to the family Psychidae. Species of caterpillars that often attack oil palm crops include Metisa plana, Mahasena corbetti, Manatha albipes, Cremastopsyche pendula, Cryptothelea cardiophaga, Brachycyttarus griseus, and Amatissa sp.

Caterpillars have a very high appetite. The caterpillar actively feeds the palm oil foliage while making a bag of rough leaves. After the pouch is formed, this caterpillar will activity by simply removing the head and front legs from inside the bag.

Initially the caterpillar lives on the top of the palm leaf surface. But when the bag has been large enough, this caterpillar will move to the bottom of the leaf by hanging yourself. The average body size of this caterpillar is about 35 mm with pockets measuring between 30-50 mm. While the life cycle of the caterpillar lasted for 126 days of the caterpillar stage for 80 days and cocoon stadia for 30-50 days.