Corn stem borer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Corn stem borer |
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The Sesamia cretica is a type of moth that has many common names. You might hear it called the corn stem borer, greater sugarcane borer, or pink corn borer. It belongs to a family of moths called Noctuidae. This moth was first described by Julius Lederer in 1857.
Where Does This Moth Live?
This moth can be found in many countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Its home range stretches across the Middle East and Arabia. You can also find it as far as Pakistan and northern India. In Africa, it lives in the northern parts. Its range extends south into northern Kenya and northern Cameroon.
What Does It Eat?
The young moths, called larvae (or caterpillars), are known as pests. This means they can cause harm to plants. They have been seen eating many important crops. These include Oryza sativa (rice), Panicum miliaceum (proso millet), and Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet). They also feed on other plants from the Poaceae family, which are grasses.
Other favorite foods are Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane) and Sorghum bicolor (sorghum). They also eat Triticum species (wheat) and Zea mays (corn).
How They Damage Plants
When the larvae first hatch, they eat the outer layers of the plant. This is called the epidermal tissue. Later, they bore into the center of the plant. This creates tunnels inside the plant's stalk.
Life Cycle
The larvae go through different stages as they grow. When they reach their third instar (a stage between molts), they move to the lower part of the plant stalk. This is usually close to the ground.
The larvae spend the colder months, from July to January, inside these tunnels. This period is called hibernation. They stay hidden and inactive during this time. After hibernating, they change into pupae. This change also happens inside the tunnels they made in the plant.
