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Journal of Entomology

Year: 2010 | Volume: 7 | Issue: 3 | Page No.: 152-159
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Authors

R. Manohar Reddy

Keywords

Research Article

Conservation Need of Tropical Tasar Silk Insect, Antheraea Mylitta Drury (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)-Strategies and Impact

R. Manohar Reddy
The commercially important tropical tasar silk insect, Antheraea mylitta Drury (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) is having 44 ecoraces distributed along central India (12-31°N latitude and 72-96°E longitude) with varied phenotypic, physiological and behavioral characters. The sericigenous insect feeds primarily on Shorea robusta (Sal), Terminalia arjuna (Arjun), Terminalia tomentosa (Asan) besides variety of secondary and tertiary food plants available in tropical deciduous forests of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh states of India. Some wild tasar ecoraces like, Raily (Chhattisgarh), Modal and Jata (Orissa), Sarihan and Laria (Jharkhand), Bhandara (Maharashtra) and Andhra (Andhra Pradesh), besides domesticated Daba and Sukinda are contributing for livelihood and alleviating the socio-economic status of around hundred and fifty thousand Indian tribal families. However, the extensive collection of nature grown cocoons, rapid deforestation and human encroachment to insect habitats has declined ecorace population. So, there is an imperative need to involve and educate local tribals on cocoon collection and insect conservation to save from extinction. The orderly involvement of forest, tribal welfare, sericulture departments and Non Government Organizations (NGOs) along with local aboriginals can up-keep the silk insect conservation for sustainable utility. This coordinated management of tasar insect population will also help in rejuvenation of their semi-domesticated relative seri-biodiversity and integrated bio-resource (flora and fauna) management of insect ecozones.
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