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European Corn Borer
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)

Common Name: European Corn Borer

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Pyralidae

Pest Status: European corn borers are serious annual pests of both sweet, seed, and field corn.

Appearance: Adults are small, tan, and about 1/2-inch long. They hold their wings in a delta shape at rest. Females have a thick body and light-colored wings, whereas the males have darker tan wings and a thinner body.

Life Cycle: European corn borers overwinter as larvae in corn stalks left from the previous growing season. As temperatures increase, the larvae enter the pupal stages for two weeks before developing into adults. The adults generally emerge in late summer.

Where to Collect: Moths aggregate in weedy or grassy areas, normally along field margins. They may also be collected at lights.