Rhodoneura emblicalis (Moore)
(=Hypolamprus stylophora (Moore), H. emblicalis (Moore),
Betousa stylophora (Swinhoe))

Taxonomic position

Insecta: Lepidoptera: Thyridoidea: Thyridiae: Siculodinae

Common names

Amla apical twig gall maker, amla shoot gall maker

Habitat / Crop(s) damaged

This pest attacks amla nurseries and orchards in rainy season between June and August. The larva of the moth tunnels the apical portion of the shoot and the infested portion bulges into a gall. The pest causes severe damage by forming galls on shoots resulting in stunted growth of the trees. By the end of the monsoon in September - October, fully formed galls can be seen on the tops of the branches, showing a deformed and restricted growth with small leaflets on the top of the shoots. The galls measure 2.5-3.5 cm in length and 1.5-2.0 cm in width.

One blackish caterpillar is found inside every gall. Every gall has a small hole that extrudes reddish orange excreta of the caterpillar, which looks like a gummy secretion. This is a symptom that shows that the caterpillar is active inside the gall.

Pest status

This is a major pest of Phyllanthus emblica ('amla') in some parts of India (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh).

Images

 Gall formed by the pest on amla twig
 Larva inside the gall
 Twig gall forming black caterpillar
 Caterpillar excreta on gall

Credits

Dr. Prakash Kumar, Deputy Director, (Agronomy)-Research Wing,
Government of Rajasthan, Office of the Project Director (Agronomy),
CAD Chambal Agriculture Research Station, Nanta Farm,
Kota, Rajasthan (India).