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Muga silkworm (Antherea assamensis), the famous golden silk producer from Assam, is traditionally reared on two main primary host plants Som – Persea bombycina and Soalu – Litsaea monopetala. Silk production is directly dependent on leaves consumption. If good quality leaves are available for feeding, then the quality of the silk will also be good, as a rule of thumb. Both Som – Persea bombycina and Soalu – Litsaea monopetalaare also niche for the various Lepidoptera caterpillars. Gynautocera papilionaria is one of the apparently beautiful moths which are gradually established itself as a pest of Letsia monopetalaand exhibiting its capacity to cause economic loss in leave production thus Muga silk rearing as recent evidence collected from the experimental farm of CMER&TI, Jorhat. Larval stage of G. papilionaria is the principal damaging stage. Occurrence of G. papilionaria has mainly seen during Feb to June which is seed and second commercial rearing period for Muga silkworm.  At that time shortage of leaves may hamper the silk production. As muga silk worm itself is very sensitive to use synthetic pesticide and thus application of pesticide to control is not possible, therefore the only measure to control this pest is handpicking, jarring the plant i.e., the mechanical control.

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Gynautocera papilionaria (LepidopteraZygaenidae) a newly reported pest of Muga silkworm.pdf