Question

The predatory fauna of lac insect in India is
(A) Eublemma amabilis and Holcocera pulverea
(B) Upelmus tachardiae and Tetrasticus purpurens
(C) Erencyrtus dewitzi and Tachardiaephagus tachardiae
(D) Paraecthrodryinus clavicornis and Erencyrtus dewitzi
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• (A) only
• (B) and (C) only
• (A) and (C) only
• (C) and (D) only

Hint:

Remember the division of lac enemies:
- Predators are moths (Eublemma and Holcocera/Pseudohypatopa).
- Parasites are small wasps (such as Tachardiaephagus, Tetrastichus, Erencyrtus, and Paraecthrodryinus).
This division simplifies identification questions on exams.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The lac insect, Kerria lacca, faces damage from various natural enemies, which are categorized into predators and parasites (parasitoids).
Managing these natural enemies is important for successful lac cultivation, and requires distinguishing between the predatory insects and the parasitic wasps that attack the lac crop.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The natural enemies of the lac insect include:
1. Predators: These are primarily lepidopteran insects (moths) whose larvae feed on the living lac insects and destroy the resinous encrustation.
The two most destructive predators of lac in India are:
- Eublemma amabilis (the white lac moth, family Noctuidae).
- Pseudohypatopa pulverea (historically known as Holcocera pulverea, family Blastobasidae).
The larvae of these moths tunnel through the lac encrustations, feeding on the lac insects and spinning silken webs that damage the crop. They can destroy up to 30–40% of a lac crop.
Thus, option (A) correctly lists the primary predatory fauna.
2. Parasites (Parasitoids): These are small hymenopteran wasps that lay their eggs directly inside the bodies of individual lac insects.
The developing wasp larvae feed internally, eventually killing the host.
The key parasitoids of the lac insect include:
- Tachardiaephagus tachardiae
- Tetrastichus purpureus (spelled purpurens in the question)
- Erencyrtus dewitzi
- Paraecthrodryinus clavicornis
- U spiritualis (referred to as Upelmus in the question)
Because these hymenopterans are parasitic wasps rather than predators, options (B), (C), and (D) represent parasitic fauna, not predatory fauna.
Therefore, only option (A) contains predatory species, making "(A) only" the correct choice.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The predatory fauna of the lac insect in India consists of the lepidopteran moths Eublemma amabilis and Holcocera pulverea, making (A) only the correct option.