Vol. 22 (September 2020) Environment

Orange yellow , Aegocera venulia (Cramer) (: Noctuidae): First record from Ramanagara, Karnataka

B. S. Rajendra Prasad1*, H. M. Yeshwanth2 and S. M. Savita1 1Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ramanagara, UAS, Bengaluru-560065, India 2Department of Agricultural Entomology, UAS, GKVK Bengaluru-560065, India Corresponding author: [email protected]

Boerhavia diffusa is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family which is commonly known as punarnava (meaning that which rejuvenates or renews the body in Ayurveda and locally called Kommesoppu. B. diffusa is widely used as a green leafy vegetable in many Asian and African countries. B. diffusa can be used as a fodder for livestock. The leaves of B. diffusa are used as a green vegetable in many parts of India. Having anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties, root acts as an anticonvulsant, analgesic, laxative medication. When rubbed in honey can be locally applied for cataract, chronic conjunctivitis and blepharitis. Useful for curing heart diseases, anemia and edema (or oedema), Punarnava is an effective remedy that reduces swelling and foul smell in skin disorders. Apart from the root, Punarnava’s leaves are also consumed as a vegetarian dish to reduce oedema.

Punarnava (B. diffusa) is commonly attacked by an insect which belongs to the noctuid family. The adults of these groups are diurnal or crepuscular, mostly bright coloured, stout bodied consisting of simple antennae which are dilated distally. This genus is easily identified by the palpi with the 2nd joint clothed with longhairs, antennae strongly dilated distally. The type species of this genus is identified as Aegocera venulia (Cramer). The outbreak of this insect was noticed in the farmer's field of Bilagumba village in Ramanagara district of Karnataka state (12.7392° N, 77.2549° E). The insects were collected, described and illustrated herein. The objective of this paper is to provide additional information to the already known species of genus Aegocera from various parts of the world. A. bimacula was reported from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the Malshej Ghat of Maharashtra (Shubhalaxmi et al., 2011). Aegocera venulia is commonly called as orange yellow moth (Kalawate, 2018). This species has been reported for the first time from Karnataka.

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References

Shubhalaxmi, V., Roger C. Kendrick, Alka Vaidya, Neelima Kalagi and Alaka Bhagwat, 2011, Inventory of moth fauna (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) of the Northern Western ghats, Maharashtra, India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 108(3): 183-205.

Kalawate, A., 2018, First record of orange yellow moth, Aegocera venulia (Cramer) (: Noctuidae) from Maharashtra, India. Rec. zool. Surv. India, 118(3): 314- 317.

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