* 130 



PESTS OF CANE, MAIZE. AND SORGHUM, 



in the caterpillar and gradually devour it. The caterpillar dies, the 

 maggots come out and themselves turn to flies which lay eggs in other 

 caterpillars. Few of these insects are found as the caterpillar is seldom 

 exposed to their attacks. 



A more important enemy is a very tiny fly which lays its 



^__ egg in the eggs of the moth ; the fly's 



egg hatches first and the maggot eats up 

 the eggs of the moth. Such eggs are 

 black in colour, not white or yellow, and 

 very many such eggs are found in 

 the fields of young canes. This tiny fly 

 is the most important check upon the 

 moth-borer and prevents the destruction 

 of many cane-fields every year. Another 

 enemy, which is very seldom found, only 

 attacks the borer when it is feeding upon 

 some exposed part of the plant, such as 

 the tassel of maize. This is a very 

 active small black grub, which runs about 

 feeding upon the caterpillars. It kills the caterpillars by sucking out 

 their blood. 



The moth-borer is found in many parts of India, but it is not certain 

 that it occurs all over the continent. It is common in many places in 

 the Bombay Presidency, Baroda, the Central Provinces, Bengal, the 

 Punjab and the United Provinces. It will probably be found all over 

 these Provinces and is likely to be the borer of cholam (sorghum) 

 in Madras. 



FIG. 151. 



Fly whose Maggot lives in the 



Moth-borer Caterpillar. 



(Magnified twice.} 



White Borer of Cane. 1 



Whilst the moth-borer is the common pest of cane, other boring 

 caterpillars also attack it, some in the roots, others in the stalk. Of 

 these the "White Borer is the most prominent, found principally at the 

 apex of cane, boring through the growing joint and down the upper 

 joint. 



The moth lays eggs on the leaves of the cane, several eggs together 

 in a cluster ; the eggs are cigar-shaped, fixed to the leaf, and the cluster 

 is covered with buff coloured hair taken from the tip of the moth's 

 abdomen. When the moth deposits eggs covered with a gummy 

 secretion, the hairs from the end of the body are plastered over the eggs. 



1 Igl. Sclrpophaga auriftua. Zell. (Pyralidae.) 



