Pink bollworm (PBW)

About Pink ballworm (PBW):

• It is one of the most destructive pests of cotton.
• Distribution: Originally native to India, it is now recorded in nearly all the cotton-growing countries of the world.
• Description:
  • The adults are small moths about 3/8 inch long and are dark brown with markings on the fore wing.
  • The larval stage is the destructive and identifiable stage.
  • The larvae have distinctive pink bands and can reach a length of ½ inches right before they pupate.
• Ecological Threat:
  • Adults lay eggs on cotton bolls; once hatched, the larvae eat the seeds and damage the fibers of the cotton, reducing the yield and quality.
  • When the larvae mature, they cut out the boll and drop to the ground and cocoon near the soil surface. 
  • It has also been observed to attack hibiscus, okra, and hollyhock plants.
  • The PBW larvae burrow into the developing fruits (bolls) of cotton plants, and the damage affects both the weight and quality of the harvested bolls containing the lint fibre and seeds inside.