NEW RECORD OF MELOLONTHA SP. NR. FURCICAUDA ANCCY, ANOMALA DIMIDIATE (HOPE) AND BHAHMINA SP. FROM LARGE CARDAMOM ECOSYSTEM

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) is an important cash crop of Sikkim and Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Insect pests are one of the main constraints of production of this crop. Surveillance and monitoring for insect pests was carried out in the farm of Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board, Pangthang during 2011-12 and 2012-13.  Three new species of insects viz., Melolontha sp. nr. furcicauda Anccy (Scarabidae : Melolonthinae), Anomala dimidiate (Hope) (Scarabidae : Rutelinae), Bhahmina sp. (Scarabidae : Melolonthinae)  were collected by installing different coloured light traps. The coleopteran beetles were identified from Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore - 560 065, India. This forms the first record of these three insects in large cardamom ecosystem from Sikkim region.