Insect predators of the apple leaf miner Lyonetia clerkella Linn. (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae) in Kashmir

In the present study, three species of coccinellid beetles, that is,Oenopia conglobata, Harmonia eucharisand Priscibrumus uropygialisand one species of wood ant(Formica sp.) were found as the natural enemies of Lyonetia clerkella. The O. conglobata and H. eucharisare the most predominant insect predators whose larvae voraciously devour the caterpillars and pupae of this leaf miner pest. Adult P. uropygialis and wood ant (Formica sp.) were observed to feed on the caterpillars of the apple leaf miner. The insect predators associated with L. clerkella reached to their maximum densities at the same time when the populations of this pest were at the peak, during the final week of May (2016). Therate of predation maximize in May and June (2016) when the population of host is relatively higher than the other months. However, beyond the fourth week of June (2016), the frequency of such incidences decreases because of reduction in the number of egg laying female moths.