MORPHOMETRY AND BIOLOGY OF LARVAL INSTARS OF ALCTEROGYSTIA CADAMBAE, HEARTWOOD BORER OF TEAK IN INDIA

Teak (Tectona grandis) is one of the most favoured timbers in the world and is used for many products and services. In north Canara Circle of Karnataka, India the heartwood borer, Alcterogystia cadambae, is found to cause substantial damage to teak trees. From morphometric estimations of larvae collected in the field, and by applying Dyar’s law, it was ascertained that there were seven stages of instars. The laboratory rearing using artificial diet also revealed that larvae moulted six times to have seven instars in its larval life. The duration of the first to seventh instar was 32.2, 13.0, 38.0, 31.0, 30.5, 33.0 and 43.0 days respectively. The total larval duration was 207 days.