Report of homoeocerus variabilis (Hemiptera: Coreidae) on khejri (Prosopis cineraria) in Rajasthan, India: Incidence and morphometric analysis

Abstract

An infestation of Homoeocerus variabilis Dallas (Hemiptera: Coreidae) on khejri, Prosopis cineraria, was first noticed in 2010 at the Experimental Farm of Central Institute for Arid Horticulture and other fields of Bikaner district, Rajasthan, India. The maximum incidence was observed in December (66.7%) and minimum in June (16.7%). The number of this bug ranged between 27.3 and 222.9 adults per plant. This species is characterized by an ochraceous body with a broad red basal fascia on the pronotum between the humeral angles, small pale scutellum, antennae 4-segmented, the basal part of second and third segment is pale yellow, third segment flattened at the tip and fourth segment is the shortest. The mean body lengths of the male and female adult vary and were recorded as 12.2 mm and 15.5 mm, respectively.