Sesamia cretica

Sesamia cretica, the corn stem borer, greater sugarcane borer, sorghum stem borer, stem corn borer, durra stem borer, large corn borer, pink sugarcane borer, sugarcane pink borer, sorghum borer, pink corn borer, maize borer or purple stem borer, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It was described by Julius Lederer in 1857. It is found in most of the countries and islands of the Mediterranean basin. The range extends through the Middle East and Arabia to Pakistan, northern India and northern Africa. In the south, the range extends to northern Kenya and northern Cameroon.[1]

Sesamia cretica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Noctuidae
Genus:
Sesamia
Species:
S. cretica
Binomial name
Sesamia cretica
Lederer, 1857
Synonyms
  • Nonagria cyrnaea Mabille, 1866
  • Sesamia fraterna Moore, 1882
  • Sesamia pecki Tams, 1938
  • Sesamia striata Staudinger, 1888

The larvae are a pest. They have been recorded feeding on Oryza sativa, Panicum miliaceum, Pennisetum glaucum, Poaceae species, Saccharum officinarum, Sorghum bicolor, Triticum species and Zea mays. They feed on the epidermal tissues and later bore into the heart of the host plant. Third-instar larvae move to the lower part of the stalk near the soil level. The larvae hibernate in the tunnels from July to January. Pupation also takes place here.[2]

References
  1. Invasive Species Compendium
  2. "Investigations on the Biology of the Corn Borer Sesamia cretica Led. (Lepidoptera — Agrotidae)"



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