Grass hopper

Symptom of Damage :
Irregular feeding on seedlings and leaf blade Large portions of leaf edges consumed. Cutting of stem at panicle stage. Completely defoliate the plants leaving only the mid ribs. Presence of nymphs and adults feeding on paddy foliage.
	Irregular feeding on leaves	Leaves are defoliated from the margin or tip irregularly

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Identification of pest :
Scientific Name - Pelopidas mathias Egg : The eggs are laid in batches of 30-40, hatch only in June to July on receipt of the monsoon rains. Eggs are yellowish and covered with gummy substrate that hardens into a waterproof coating. Nymph : The nymphs feed on the grasses and paddy crop. Adult : They grow into adults by August to September. Hieroglyphus banian (Large Grasshopper) measures about 1 ½ inch long. There are three transverse dark lines on the prothorax, which is helpful for identifying the pest. Oxya nitidula (Small grasshopper) is about one inch long and has a longitudinal brown streak on either side of the thorax.	Grass hopper	Grass hopper


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Management Strategies:
Cultural Methods: Flooding the stubbles, trimming the bunds, sweeping along the bunds and adult grass hoppers can be picked directly from the foliage at night because they are sluggish. Expose the eggs to be picked up by birds after ploughing and trim the bunds.
	Allow ducks into the field	Flood the nursery

Chemical Methods: Dusting the crop with 5-10% methyl parathion 2% @ 25-30 kg/ha. Dusting malathion 5% @ 20 kg/ha. Foliar sprays of insecticides can also control grasshoppers.
	Malathion dust

Biological Methods: Scelionid wasps parasitize the eggs of short-horned grasshopper. A platystomatid fly and mite prey on the eggs of oriental migratory locust. Different species of ants feed on the nymphs and adults. They are also prey to birds, bats, field rats, mice, wild pigs, dogs, millipedes, fish, amphibia, reptiles and monkeys.
	Egg parasitoid - Telenomus remus	Parasitic larva emerging from armyworm

	Pupal parasitoid-Netelia sp.
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