Contents - LAC Biosafety

A. robusta in Queensland, but is of minor economic importance. The lepidopteran
caterpillars Achaea janata and Orgyia australis, as well as a thrips Oxythrips
agathidis, have also been recorded from A. robusta but are of little importance.
10.3 Ailanthus species (Simaroubaceae)
Tree profile
Two species of Ailanthus are important plantation species in the tropics.
They are Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. and Ailanthus triphysa (Dennst.) Alston. Both are
large, fast-growing species which produce white, light timber, highly valued for
manufacture of plywood, and match splints and boxes. A. excelsa naturally occurs
throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian peninsula,
especially in drier areas, and A. triphysa occurs in South and South-East Asia,
including peninsular India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines and
parts of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, southern China, and
Queensland and northern New South Wales in Australia (CABI, 2005). Plantations
have been raised largely in India but also in Senegal in Africa. In Kerala, India,
A. triphysa is also grown on homesteads to cater to the needs of the match
industry.
Overview of pests
Insect pests recorded on A. excelsa include the defoliators Atteva fabriciella
(Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) and Eligma narcissus (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), both
described in detail below, and the borer Batocera rufomaculata (Coleoptera:
Cerambycidae) which damages young trees. On A. triphysa, more than 35 insects
have been recorded but the defoliators mentioned above are the only serious
pests. Little information is available on the damage caused by the other insects
which include thrips, beetles, bugs and caterpillars.
Pest profile
Atteva fabriciella Swed. (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae)
10.3 Ailanthus species (Simaroubaceae) 197
This insect is commonly known as Ailanthus webworm because of the
larval habit of webbing the leaves together and feeding from within. The moth is
small and slender, 14 mm in length and has a wingspan of 25–30 mm. The moth
is dark orange, with white spots of variable size on the forewing. The full-grown
larva is greyish green and about 20 mm long.
Life history and seasonal incidence The female moths lay eggs at night, mostly
on the lower surface of young tender leaves and on buds, either singly or in
small groups. The larvae feed gregariously in groups of six to ten, and stick the