Diatraea saccharalis
Encyclopedia
The Sugarcane Borer is a species of moth
of the Crambidae
family. It is native to the Caribbean
, Central America
, and the warmer parts of South America
south to northern Argentina
. It was introduced to Louisiana
in about 1855, and has since spread to the other Gulf Coast States.
The wingspan
is 18-28 mm for males and 27-39 mm.
The larvae are considered a pest on sugarcane and other crops such as corn, rice, sorghum, and sudangrass. Other food plants include Sorghum halepense, Paspalum
, Panicum
, Holcus
and Adropogon.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Crambidae
Crambidae
The Crambidae are the grass moth family of Lepidoptera . They are quite variable in appearance, the nominal subfamily Crambinae taking up closely folded postures on grass-stems where they are inconspicuous, while other subfamilies include brightly coloured and patterned insects which rest in...
family. It is native to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, and the warmer parts of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
south to northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It was introduced to Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in about 1855, and has since spread to the other Gulf Coast States.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 18-28 mm for males and 27-39 mm.
The larvae are considered a pest on sugarcane and other crops such as corn, rice, sorghum, and sudangrass. Other food plants include Sorghum halepense, Paspalum
Paspalum
Paspalum is a genus of the grass family . Commonly known as paspalums, bahiagrasses or dallis grasses most are tall perennial American grasses. They are most diverse in subtropical and tropical regions....
, Panicum
Panicum
Panicum is a large genus of about 450 species of grasses native throughout the tropical regions of the world, with a few species extending into the northern temperate zone...
, Holcus
Holcus
Holcus is a genus of eight species of grasses, native to Europe, Atlantic Ocean islands, Africa and western Asia....
and Adropogon.