THE LEAF EATERS - 3

(Black-headed Green Larva, Length Approx. 20 mm)

June 01 2021

Turmeric, which has medicinal properties, can often be seen used in Asia, as a spice in cooking.

I have a few turmeric plants which are grown from a fleshy root—the edible part. When I noticed a turmeric plant leaf had been eaten, I thought that the black beetles started eating my turmeric plants too.

I decided to relocate the plants. After relocating the plants, I did not see any patterns of feeding on leaves.

However, a few days later, when I inspected the plants, I observed that a full-grown leaf had been folded and part of it had been eaten. The eating pattern, which had not been seen before, was different from the kinds of eating patterns exhibited by the black beetles. I realized that the relocated turmeric plants were no longer protected. I was puzzled. What was going on? What kind of a creature had fed on the leaf?

I was eager to look inside the folded leaf. While unfolding the leaf, I saw a green worm-like little creature that was hiding inside the folded leaf.

Its head was black and the creature measures about 20 mm in length. It is a larva.

About half an hour later, it began to make the leaf fold again with a thin thread-like sticky substance which it produced to hold the edges of the leaf together.

It was there for nearly half of the day. The following day, it moved onto a fresh leaf and folded the leaf.

It had almost fully eaten the remaining part of the first folded leaf before moving onto the fresh leaf.

Compared with the black beetles, this black-headed green larva eats a lot within a few seconds.

The images were captured as it was found happening in nature, and not enhanced using software. Images may be subject to copyright.