484 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 14 



Number of Eggs 



The average number of eggs deposited by the sugar cane moth borer 

 is about 200, while according to Caffrey (1) the average for the European 

 com borer is 550 for the first generation and 350 for the second. In 

 both species the sexes are about evenly divided. 



Generations 



The sugar cane moth borer has two to five generations in Louisiana, 

 while the European corn borer has one in New York and two in New 

 England (1, 2). 



Feeding Habits 



Caffrey (1) mentions the habit of adults of the European com borer 

 of depositing eggs on dead and dried com stalks. This never occurs 

 with the sugar cane moth borer, and if it did occur that insect would 

 probably be far more injurious than it is, as there would be many borers 

 carried over the winter in old com stalks. Careful examinations in 

 Louisiana have failed to prove that there is any hibernation whatever 

 in old com stalks. As mentioned above, there is little injury to the 

 ear from the sugar cane moth borer, while this is one of the principal 

 forms of injury by the European species. Otherwise, the feeding habits 

 of the two insects are similar, both tunneling in the stalks of their host 

 plants. 



Extension of Territory 



The sugar cane moth borer has for years remained restricted to about 

 the same territory. It is distributed mainly through shipments of 

 infested seed cane. Apparently, the European com borer extends 

 its territory very rapidly, according to Felt (2), who points out that the 

 larvae were probably carried in shipments of green com to siimmer hotels 

 south of Boston. The shipments of sugar cane outside the area infested 

 by the sugar cane moth borer are negligible, though there is doubtless 

 some shipment of ears of corn for cooking. 



Hibernation 



Both borers pass the winter in the larval stage in their tunnels, though 

 the sugar cane moth borer is then limited to sugar cane and grasses 

 while the European com borer hibernates in the cobs and stalks of com 

 (1). The sugar cane moth borer extends its larval period to as much 

 as 276 days for hibernation. The European com bofer may live for 

 over a year in the larval stage (1). 



