An Outbreak of Tiracola plagiata Walker ( Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) on Coffee in the Western Higlands District of Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

An outbreak of the Tiracola plagiata (Walk.) (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea in January, 1970 is briefly described. Crotalaria semperflorens Vent. (Leguminosae), a recent illegitimate plant introduction into Pap1ta New Guinea, was implicated as a preferred host of T.plagiata and its we as a temporary shade over young coffee is believed to have caused the outbreak.
Two new ichneumonid pupal parasites of T. plagiata-Lissopimpla scutata Krieger and Ichneumon promissorius Erichson were bred from host pupae collected during the outbreak.