Sugarcane bud moth facts for kids

The sugarcane bud moth (scientific name: Erechthias flavistriata) is a type of moth from the Tineidae family. It was first described in 1907 by Lord Walsingham in Hawaii. However, scientists believe it was likely brought to Hawaii from somewhere else.

This moth can be found in many parts of the Pacific Ocean region. This includes places like the Marquesas Islands, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Java, and the Malay Peninsula. It has spread widely, probably traveling with people in their canoes to many islands across the Pacific.

What Does the Sugarcane Bud Moth Look Like?

The sugarcane bud moth is quite small. Its wingspan is about 12 mm, which is a little less than half an inch. Adult moths are usually a pale yellowish-white or greyish-white color. Their wings have a few brighter yellow streaks and many small black or brown dots.

Life Cycle and Habits

The life cycle of the sugarcane bud moth includes several stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult moth. The larva stage is when the moth does most of its feeding and growing.

What Do the Larvae Eat?

The larvae, or caterpillars, of the sugarcane bud moth feed on several important plants. They have been found eating banana, coconut, other types of palm trees, Pandanus plants, pineapple, and especially sugarcane. A fully grown larva is about 12 to 15 mm long.

Where Do the Larvae Live?

You can often find these larvae hidden under the leaf-sheaths of older sugarcane leaves. These are the parts of the leaf that wrap around the stalk. The larvae prefer leaves that are partly or completely dead and dry. They build a silky web to help hide themselves. They are most common in areas where old leaves are left tangled together.

How Do They Feed?

Normally, the larvae eat the dried leaf-sheaths themselves. They feed on the inside part of the sheath, close to the sugarcane stalk. They chew between the fibers of the leaf, sometimes even burrowing into the leaf-sheath material.

Besides eating the leaf-sheaths, they also sometimes scrape off the surface of the sugarcane stalk. They do this especially near the "nodes," which are the joints on the cane.

Damage to Sugarcane

The most serious damage happens when the larvae eat the "buds" or "eyes" of the sugarcane. These buds are important because they are where new shoots grow from. The larvae can eat several buds in a row, sometimes damaging a foot or more of the cane stalk.

When the buds are eaten, it harms the sugarcane plant. It also creates openings where tiny fungus spores can enter the plant. This makes the sugarcane less useful, especially if it's meant to be planted as a seed.

The Pupa Stage

After the larva has grown enough, it changes into a pupa. The pupa is about 5.5 to 6 mm long and is a very pale yellowish-brown color. The pupa forms inside a cocoon. This cocoon is made in the same place where the larva was feeding. It is usually 6 to 10 mm long and often has an outer layer made of plant fibers from the leaf-sheath. After about two or three weeks, the adult moth emerges from the cocoon.