of body tissues have been reported by Stebbing as early as 1903. During 1985, an investigation of microbial pathogens of H. puera was undertaken in the plantations of Nilambur Forest Divisions of Kerala, India, by KFRI detected several dead insects with the characteristic symptoms as observed by Stebbing. Microscopic observation of tissues revealed the presence of refractile polyhedral inclusions bodies, which stained blue in Giemsa, measured 0.9–2.4 micrometers in diameter in the scanning electron micrograph taken by Jean Adams at USDA, confirmed its identity as NPV. The NPVs come under the family of baculoviridae and its virions are enveloped rod shaped nucleocapsids containing circular, supercoiled, double stranded DNA. Mode of action The NPV which enters the insect gut, lyses in the alkaline environment of the midgut, releasing virions. Virions invade the columnar cells of midgut epithelium and integrate DNA into the nucleus of midgut cells. Later the viral DNA takes over control of the cellular machinery to reproduce itself. The ECVs which are the progenies released into the haemocoel from the midgut cells are more infectious than the PIBs and mediate disease spread within the insect body. A rapid spread of infection in the insect body leads immediately to cessation of feeding and later on, to death. Even in the fully mature larvae, HpNPV can kill in 60–72 hours, making it one of the fastest acting insect viruses. The discovery of virus disease on H. puera was a major breakthrough in the teak defoliator management research. As food The teak moth, in Indonesia known as entung jati, is commonly eaten in the regions where they thrive. They are usually caught for consumption at the cocoon stage, at which point they are easily collected from the ground. This serves as an essential, readily accessible source of protein for the villagers, commonly farmers, around these areas. References Senthil-Nathan, S., Saehoon, K., (2006). Behavioral and physiological effects of Melia azedarach L. extract on the teak defoliator Hyblaea puera Cramer (Lepidoptera: Hyblaeidae). Crop Protection 25 (3), 287-291 (Published by Elsevier Inc. UK). Nair, K. S. S., Sudheendrakumar, V. V., Varma, R. V., and Chacko, K. C. (1985). Studies on the seasonal incidence of defoliators and the effect of defoliation on volume increment of teak. Research Report, Kerala Forest Research Institute. 30, 78pp. Nair, K. S. S. and Sudheendrakumar, V. V. (1986). The teak defoliator, Hyblaea puera: Defoliation dynamics and evidence for short – range