10 Farmers’ Bulletin 1294. 7 
and tunnel through all parts of the cob. The “shank” of the ear 
often is thoroughly tunneled by the borers. Such injury, where ex- 
tensive and occurring before the ear is well developed, may result in 
a small or poorly formed ear. This type of injury may cause the 
ears to break off and fall to the ground before harvest. 
In the New England area, during July and August, many of the 
moths deposit their eggs directly upon, or closely adjacent to, the 
newly developed ears of late corn. Many of the resulting borers 
feed at first upon the silk, and then enter the ears directly, where 
Fig. 8. 
aged by European corn borer, showing entrance of larva, 
the stem, and cob. (Caffrey.) 
Longitudinal section of ear of sweet corn dam- 
they feed voraciously upon the grain and cob. It is at this time that 
the borers do the greatest amount of damage to the ears. As many 
as 15 full-grown borers, each about an inch long, have been found 
feeding upon and within a single ear of corn. 
The injury to stalks and ears may be further increased by a soft 
rot which sometimes follows the work of the borers and reduces the 
