Mexican Rice Borer - Eoreuma loftini (Dyar)

After hatching, young larvae feed inside fresh leaf sheaths. Feeding of early instar of sugarcane borers and Mexican rice borers cause the same type of injury manifesting in an orange discoloration of the leaf sheath. At this stage there is no difference among injuries of different species of stalk borers, but as Mexican rice borer larvae bore into the stem or stalk, they pack tunnels with frass, which prevents the entry of predators or parasites.

Click on the links above to go to the Mexican Rice Borer home page or the Rice Insects Photo Galleries home page.