• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 2003

The adult of the Cotton caterpillar, Palpita indica (Saunder) laid eggs more on mature leaves than on aged and developing leaves. They laid more on leaves than on petiole and stem, and more on the adaxial than on the abaxial surface side of the leaves. Larvae of the Cotton caterpillar showed their preference in the order of the cucumber (Cucumis sativus), gourd (Lagernaria siceraria), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) ＞ oriental melon (Cucumis melon L. var makuwa), wax gourd (Benincasa hispida), melon (Cucumis melo), star cucumber (Sicyos angulatus) ＞ sponge cucumber (Lufa cylindrica), cotton (Gossypium indicum). There were no distinct differences among varieties and lines that were collected and hybridized at the Gochang Watermelon Experiment Station in Korea. There was a positive relationship between the leaf area and the degree of damage by the Cotton caterpillar. The feeding amounts of the Cotton caterpillar excrement were gradually increased to 16-18 days after hatching, after that the amounts of excrement were rapidly decreased.