Rice Earhead Bug – Identification, Nature of Damage, and Management

Rice Earhead Bug – Identification, Nature of Damage, and Management

Scientific Name: Leptocorisa acuta

Identification of insect pest:

  • Egg: Circular, brownish seed like 2mm long laid in clusters in two rows along the midrib on the upper surface of the leaf blade.
  • Nymph: First instar is small, 2mm long, pale green in colour which grows to dark green through different instars.
  • Adult: Greenish yellow, long and slender, above ½ inch in length with a characteristic buggy odour.

Symptoms of Damage:

  • Sucking the sap from individual grains, which are in milky stage.
  • Due to de-sapping, grains show brownish discoloured patches on the husk.
  • Individual grains become chaffy and erect panicles.
  • Black spots on the grains at the site of feeding puncture.
  • In the case of heavy infestation, the whole ear head may become devoid of mature grains.
  • Buggy odour in rice field during milky stage.
  • Obnoxious odour eminates on disturbing the bugs.

Nature of Damage:

  • Both adults and nymphs do the damage. The nymphs start feeding 3 to 4 hours after hatching. 
  • They feed on the leaf sap near the tip / on milky sap in developing spikelets at milky stage. Sucking of the milky sap causes ill-filled / partial filled and chaffy grains. 
  • They omit bad smell hence they are called Gundhi bugs. Serious infestation can reduce the yield by 50%. The straw gives off-flavour that is unattractive to the cattle.

Management Strategies

CulturalMethods:

  • Strict vigilance is necessary at milky stage.
  • Cultural control measures include the removal of alternate hosts such as grasses on bunds, early planting, and the use of late-maturing cultivars.
  • Keep the field and bunds free of weeds and grasses.
  • Netting and handpicking the bugs reduce their numbers.
  • Putting attractants such as arasan or anything with an odor like dead snails or rats can easily capture rice bugs in the field.
  • Coarse-grain and bearded cultivars may be resistant to the rice bugs.

BiologicalMethods:

  • Among the biological control agents, small wasps parasitize the eggs and the meadow grasshoppers prey on them.
  • Both the adults and nymphs are preys to spiders, coccinellid beetles and dragonflies.
  • A fungus infects both nymphs and adults.

Chemical Methods:

  • ETL: 5 bugs/100 ear heads at flowering and 16 bugs/100 ear heads from milky stage to grain maturity.
  • For effective control of bugs we can use bio pesticides like Dr.Eliminator 250ml/acre.

FAQs:

1. What is the rice ear head bug, and why is it a problem?

It's a pest that sucks sap from rice grains, causing them to shrink and turn brown. This reduces yield and quality. Act early to prevent damage.

2. How can I identify the rice ear head bug in my field?

Look for slender bugs with long legs feeding on developing grains. Damaged grains appear shriveled and discolored.

3. When is the rice ear head bug most active?

 It’s most active during the flowering to grain-filling stages of the crop. Monitor closely during these times.

4. What cultural practices can reduce the risk of infestation?

Remove weeds, avoid waterlogging, and use resistant rice varieties to reduce pest breeding grounds.

5. How can I monitor the pest population effectively?

Use light traps or sweep nets to monitor pest activity in the field. Regular scouting helps detect early signs.

6. What happens if I ignore a rice ear head bug infestation?

Ignoring it can lead to significant yield losses and poor grain quality, ultimately affecting your profits. Timely action is crucial.

Back to blog