Bionomics of Xyrosaria lichneuta attacking Tripterygium wilfordii

Xyrosaria lichneuta Meyrick has 5 generations a year in Taining County,Fujian Province and attacks Tripterygium wilfordii mainly as larva.It overwinters as pupa in the soil around the host in the last twenty days of October.The adult emerges and lays eggs in late March the next year.After hat-ching,larva mines laminas directly and eats the mesophyll,leaving only the epicuticule.The larva has 4 instars and the average duration of the larvae in the 1st to 4th instars was about 2.93,3.24,4.52 and 5.33 days.The larva of the 3rd generation rampantly attacks the host in July.The female often lays eggs at night around the primary veins of young leaf backs and produces about 60 eggs per female.