Some common predators of rice insect pests in Assam, India
N. Krishnasamy, O. P. Chauhan, and R. K. Das, Central Plant Protection
Station, Candhi Bast, Gauhati 3, Assam, India
Assam is a tropical rain forest area with green vegetation throughout the year. Annual rainfall is 1,4001,800 mm, humidity averages 85-95%, and temperature is 20- 30°C during the monsoon (Jun-Sep), which
is the main rice growing season. Monsoon conditions favor rice cultivation pest multiplication, and the
proliferation of their natural enemies. Predators, particularly arthropods, are abundant and play a
significant role in controlling major insect pests of rice. From 1980 to 1982, we evaluated monsoon rice
to determine the role of natural enemies (see table). The Commonwealth Institute of Entomology,
London, and the Systematics Section of the Entomology Division, Indian Agricultural Research Institute,
New Delhi, identified the specimens.
Krishnasamy N, OP Chauhan, RK Das. 1984. Some common predators of rice insect pests in Assam,
India. International Rice Research Newsletter 9 (2): 15-16.
See table below
Common predators of rice insect pests recorded 1980-82 in Assam, India.
Predators
I. Araneae (spiders)
Tetragnathidae
Tegragnatha mandibulata
Oxyopidae
Araneidae
Oxyopes javanus Thorell
Neoscona theisi (Walckenaer)
Araneus sp.
Lycosidae
Pardosa sp.
II. Odonata (dragonflies)
Libellulidae
Orthetrum sabina (Dowry)
Prey
Nymphs and adults of Cofana spectra ,
C. yasumatsui, Nephotettix virescens.
N. nigropictus, and Sogatella furcifera
III. Orthoptera (meadow grasshopper)
Tettigoniidae
Conocephalus longipennis (de Haan)
IV. Hemiptera (predaceous bugs)
Pentatomidae
Cicrona caerulea Linnaeus
Low
Adults of Scirpophaga incertulas,
Nymphula depunctalis and
N. fluctuosalis
VI. Coleoptera (beetles)
Cicindelidae (tiger beetles)
Cicindela sexpunctata Fabricius
Carabidae (ground beetles)
Casnoidae indica Thumberg
Coccinellidae (ladybeetles)
Micraspis discolor Fabricius
Harmonia octomaculata Fabricius
VII. Hymenoptera (wasps)
Sphecidae
Psenulus sp. nr. aogatophagus P.
High
High
Moderate
High
Nymphs and adults of Nephotettix
virescens, N. nigropictus. Cofana
spectra, and Sogatella furcifera
High
High
Moderate
Low
Nymphs and adults of Nephotettix sp.
and Recilia dorsalis
Moderate
Larvae of Naranga diffusa, Mythimna
separata, Spodoptera mauritia , and
Larvae of Naranga diffusa, Mythimna
separata, Spodoptera mauritia, and
S. litura
Moderate
Andrallus spinidens Fabricius
Menida histrio F.)
Pygomenida benghalensis (Westwood) Adults of Dicladispa armigera
Reduviidae
Coranus sp.
Larvae of Naranga sp. and Spodoptera sp.
V. Diptera (rubber fly)
Asilidae
Promachus sp.
High
High
Moderate
Moderate
Crocothemis servilia (Dowry)
Pantala flavescens (Fabricius)
Diplacodes nebulosa (Fabricius)
Coenagrionidae Damselflies
Ischnura delicata Dis
Ischnura rofostigma Selys
Agriocnemis pygmaea Rambur
Ceriagrion coromandelianum
(Fabricius)
Relative
abundance
Low
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Nymphs and adults of Oxya fuscovitatta
Moderate
Nymphs and adults of Leptocorisa acuta
and L. oratoria
Moderate
Nymphs of planthoppers and leafhoppers
Moderate
Nymphs and adults of Cofana sp.
Nephotettix sp. and Sogatella furcifera
High
Low
Nymphs and adults of leafhoppers
Low