author(s)
Lalita Hanabar and DR. MG Hegde

abstract
Biology of Maruca vitrata (Gayer) on groundnut under laboratory conditions with room temperature of 26 to 27 ^oC was studied during kharif, 2016 at MARS, UAS, Dharwad, Karnataka. Eggs were laid both individually and in a group of 2 to 4 on lower surface of the groundnut leaves or on ligueli or on calyx of the groundnut flowers. Each larva moulted 4 times and possessed 5 instars. Fully grown caterpillar was translucent and shining with 6 rows of black spots running from thorax to abdomen. Average larval duration was 16.21± 0.26.The final instar larvae that entered into pupation in the webs of groundnut leaves within silken cocoon and pupal duration was 6.16 ± 0.04. The life span of adult moth was about 6.91 ± 0.52 days. The fecundity was 97.50 ± 9.26 eggs/female. The total life cycle lasted for 33.30 ± 1.77days to complete on groundnut.