Bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) Pest Status in the Bastar Region of Chhattisgarh's Forest Trees

The pest status of bagworm species on forest trees of Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. Pest status of bagworm species was inspected by stratified cluster sampling in all seven districts of Bastar regions the intensity of bagworm infestation was appraised by exercising five infestation categories, S0, S1, S2, S3, and S4 with increasing magnitude of infestation from no infestation to very high level of infestation. Level of infestation recorded above 90% in twenty two species out of which three species namely namely Anogeissus latifolia, Wall., Dalbergia paniculata, Roxb. and Flacourtia indica, (Burm F.) Merr. of family Combretaceae, Fabaceae, and Salicaceae respectively showed cent percent infestation under S4 category with very high level of infestation. Thirty five (35) species recorded high level of infestation under S3 category are between 60.1% and 90%. The marginal infestation was recorded in nine (9) species under the S1 category between 0.1% and 30%. Two other species of Ficus bengalensis, Linn., Ficus virens, Aiton belonging to family Moraceae showed nil (0%) infestation under the S0 category. Result of study meticulously demonstrates that, 77.3% of the total forest tree species in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh are infested with bagworm (Lepidoptera: Psychidae). The level of infestation of S3 category of 47.94% was recorded in 35 species, with record of 30.13%, 12.32 % and 8.21% in S4, S1 and S2 level of infestation, whereas only 2.73% were recorded in S0 with no infestation. The magnitude of infestation uncovers the capability of Psychids to degrade the green cover that would potentially cause cascading impact to forest ecosystem. The biodiversity indices complimented each other and revealed that the Sukma (SU) had the maximum biodiversity apropos the tree species with the total infestation. To conclude, the study of pest status of bagworm moths in forest trees of Bastar region is required to catalogue the bagworm species and to further study on spatial and temporal dynamics related to this insect pest.