Millet head miner moth facts for kids

The Heliocheilus albipunctella, also known as the millet head miner moth, is a small insect. It belongs to the moth family called Noctuidae. You can find this moth in the Sahel region of West Africa. This area is a wide strip of land just south of the Sahara Desert.

Life Cycle of the Millet Head Miner Moth

The life cycle of the millet head miner moth is closely linked to the millet plant. Millet is an important grain grown in many parts of the world.

Adult Moths and Millet Plants

Adult moths fly around when millet plants are growing their seed heads. This usually happens in late August in places like southern Niger. The moths are looking for millet plants to lay their eggs on.

Caterpillars and Their Feeding Habits

After the eggs hatch, tiny caterpillars emerge. These caterpillars are the larval stage of the moth. They live and grow inside the millet seed head, which is called a panicle. As the millet panicle grows, the caterpillars also grow.

When they are very young, the caterpillars eat the individual flowers, called florets. As they get bigger, they start to eat the stems that hold the grains. This can stop the millet grains from growing properly. The caterpillars also dig tunnels around the main stem of the seed head. These tunnels look like raised lines on the surface of the millet panicle.

Pupation and New Moths

When the caterpillars are fully grown, they are usually pink. At this point, they drop from the millet plant to the ground. They then dig into the soil, often near the plant they were feeding on. Once underground, they change into a pupa. This is a resting stage where the caterpillar transforms into an adult moth. After a while, a new adult moth will emerge from the pupa, ready to start the cycle again.