30 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
about 9 o’clock in the evening often make flights of 20 or 30 feet 
at a height of 6 feet or more above the ground and have been 
observed to make single flights of about one-seventh of a mile. 
The moths lay their eggs in the spring on the under surface of the 
early leaves in shinglelike oval patches, the average number for 
the first brood as determined by studies in Massachusetts in 1919 
being 386 and for the second brood in 1918, 727. Egg laying begins 
about 34 days after the moths emerge and continues for about 123 
days, though adults may live as long as 30 days. The borer in New 
York State, at least, displays a marked preference for early planted 
corn and that planted 2 or 3 weeks later than the earliest may escape 
infestation altogether. 
The young larvae or caterpillars eat out small areas on the leaves 
and as they increase in size descend and attack the developing tassel, 
working in the buds and later entering the stem and causing the 
characteristic breaking or bending at the base. The larger cater- 
pillars enter the stalk and tunnel through all parts of the plant 
except the fibrous roots, retarding development and in many cases 
causing defective fertilization as a result of injury to the tassel. 
Infested stalks, when the caterpillars are active, are easily recognized 
by the dry or moist borings near or hanging from circular holes. 
The larvae of the first brood confine their operations largely to 
tassels and stalks, frequently not injuring the ear. This greatly 
reduces the possible injury, though corn is planted so early in New 
York State and the moths appear so late, that it is possible for eggs 
to be laid directly upon the developing ears. Later developments 
in the infested areas have shown that there may be serious loss in 
sections where there is one brood, not only on account of the insect 
working in the stalks but because of general and somewhat severe 
damage to the ears. 
The moths of the second brood fly mostly during August and deposit 
many of their eggs upon the silk of the developing ears, the young 
borers entering the tip and feeding frequently for some time without 
marked external evidence of their presence. Later the husks are 
penetrated, and we have the characteristic signs of borings so fre- 
quently noted in the corn stalks. Feeding may continue until 
checked by cold weather. The damage is frequently increased by 
the invasion of various rots and the breaking and decay of the 
affected parts. Theaverage length of the larval period for the first 
brood, as established by the Massachusetts investigations, is 44 
days, the maximum being 57 and the minimum 37 days. The first 
pupae of the second brood in Massachusetts were found in 1918 on 
July 11th, and were most abundant July roth to 23d. The pupal 
