European Corn Borer

European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis)
The European corn borer is known to feed on 250 different kinds of plants, some of which include: corn, especially sweet corn, chrysanthemum, dahlia, gladiolus, eggplant, pepper, beet, bean, potato, tomato, oat, soybean, and many kinds of weeds.

The larvae eat leaves and tunnel all parts of the stalks and ears; the major damage to sweet corn is to the ears. The tunneling impairs the growth of the plant and diminishes chance of plant production.

The moths appear in June, and the females lay eggs on the underside of leaves. The larvae, the borer stage, can vary in length from ¾ to 1 inch and have a gray to creamy white color. The corn borer overwinters as full grown larvae inside old stalks, or in stems. They are found in most states east of the Rocky Mountains.

For control products and more information please see our Borer Control page.