Abstract: In the present study, not only the scarring damage caused by overwintering eggs of Ricania sublimbata Jacobi in tea gardens with intensive or extensive management, but also the scale of tea branch chosen by R. sublimbata for oviposition, the length of scar and number of overwintering eggs in each scar were investigated. The results indicate that the damage rates in tea gardens with extensive management (9.86%, 13.79%) were significantly higher than those in intensively managed tea gardens. Adult R. sublimbata preferred to lay overwintering eggs in tea branches, with scale diameter of about 0.20-0.30βcm. Moreover, the average distance from the top of oviposition scar to tip of the tea shoot was 7.22βcm. The mean length of oviposition scar was 1.35βcm. The results also indicate that there was a significantly positive linear relationship between the length of oviposition scar (x) and number of overwintering eggs in the scar (y) and the relationship could be expressed as: y=17.83x+1.12 (F=3β652, df=1β145, R²=0.96, P<2.2×10^-16). It was suggested to cut off the tea branches with oviposition scar from early October to next March, and improve management of tea garden so as to control the regional damage of this pest. This study provided a theoretical basis for the prediction and ecological control of overwintering population of R. sublimbata in Xinyang tea-producing area, which was of great significance for reducing the use of pesticides and improving yield and quality of Xinyang Maojian tea.

Key words: Ricania sublimbata, overwintering population, occurrence and damage