Google   MPG (species pages only) MPG (entire website) Entire Web


Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Crambidae
990115n – 19115   Chilo suppressalis Walker, 1863
             Asiatic Rice Borer

© Christi Jaeger, MEM
Synonymy:
  • suppressalis Walker, 1863 (APHIS)
  • Distribution: Asia and India; not found in North America north of Mexico.
    Seasonality: Generations per year dependent on climate, in tropical areas, up to six generations is typical.
    Wingspan 20-30mm.
    Host Plants: Larvae are pale yellowish white, with four abdominal prolegs, head capsule light yellow changing to brown in later instars. Larvae bore into stems of rice. Host records include sorghum, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts, millet, sugarcane, and corn. (see references)
    Description: Forewings straw colored, uniformly suffused with yellowish brown, out margin with row of small dark brown spots. Hindwing uniformly white. Labial palp porrect, three times as long as eye. Sharply pointed, forward pointing frons, with ridgelike ventral margin. Ocelli present.
    Similar  : Species
    • Easily confused with C. plejadellus. Male S. suppresalis adults may be distinguished from other species of Chilo by the presence of a ridge on the lower margin of the conical front between the eyes. Genitalia of male C. suppresalis distinguished from C. plejadellus by the absence of a short, sharp, subapical tooth on each arm of the juxta.
    • Male genitalia of C. erianthallus can be distinguished by pointed vinculum that is as long as it is wide (width measured at base where it meets the valve). Vinculum in C. suppresalis is rounded at the apex, and is at least 1.5 times longer than it is wide (as measured from the base where it meets the valve). Superficially resembles Diatraea saccharalis, or D. lineolata; to distinguish them, examine the frons which is convex in D. saccharalis and D. lineolata, and forwarding pointing in Chilo. Furthermor, Diatraea lack an ocellus, which is present in Chilo
    References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)
    • (1) Natural History Museum: HOSTS- website
    • (2) CAPS Corn pest descriptions website
    • (3) Passoa. 2009. Screening key for CAPS target Pyraloidea in the Eastern and Midwestern United States (males) website
    • (4) Khan, Z.R., Litsinger, J.A., Barrion, A.T., Villanueva, F.F.D., Fernandex, N.J., and Taylo, L.D. 1991. World Bibliography of Rice Stem Borers 1795-1990. International Rice Research Institute
    • (5) Species Page at BOLD Barcoding Project - website.
    Chilo suppressalis
    – © Christi Jaeger, MEM

    Moth Photographers Group  at the  Mississippi Entomological Museum  at the  Mississippi State University

    Send suggestions, or submit photographs to Webmaster — Moth Photographers Group

    Database design and scripting support provided by Mike Boone