The young larvae are round and thin, with distinctive patterns apart from other borers. The body is light brown with a thin white stripe going down the back from head to tail. A purplish-brown ring surrounding the front third of the body interrupts a similar white line on each side of the body. When disturbed, the larvae become extremely active, circling in an attempt to escape.
Cutworm moths look like reddish-brown moths. The eggs are spherical, sculpted, and pinkish-brown, similar to those of other family members.
Stalk borer larvae have been found to feed on over 200 wild and cultivated types, including grasses and trees. They target small grains, maize, forages, and vegetables, among other things.
Host plants:
Corn is the most common cultivated host, whereas other Gramineae and gigantic ragweed are wild. This borer less typically attacks hardwood trees.
Territory:
The stalk borer is a North American native found in the United States and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains.
Damage caused by Stalk Borer:
Plants that they have harmed are often stunted, deformed, or both. If the borer has tunneled through the plant’s stalk at the soil level, the damage might be severe enough to destroy the plant.
Life history and Habits:
Every year, a new generation is born. From late August until mid-October, moths can be found. Most of the eggs are laid between mid-September and early October. Eggs are placed singly or in clusters amid grasses and weeds’ folded, dead leaves. Corn plants may also be used to lay eggs. According to recent research, orchard grass and rye are particularly favorable to moths for egg depositing. The egg stage has passed the winter. The eggs hatch after a four- to five-week gestation period from mid-May to mid-June. The larval stage takes nine to twelve weeks to complete. Larvae complete their development and form pupal cells in the soil in late July. The pupal stage lasts around twenty days, and the moths emerge in late August.
