Shoot Fly

Catalogue Type
Plant Pests Catalogue
Scientific Name
Formosina flavipes
Family
Chlopidae
Distinguishing Characters
Eggs are cigar shaped and white colour and are laid in between leaf sheath and pseudostem on the top whorl singly or in rows of 4 - 5.
Host Crop
Cardamom
Order
Diptera
Photo of Insect
Photo of Damaged Crop
Description

Larvae feed on the growing shoot of the young cardamom suckers.

Emerging maggots  feed the core tissue resulting in drying of the terminal leaf and cause dead heart symptoms.

Infestation is more on plants in open area; the pest activity starts during November and is at its peak in March-April.