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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

990288n – 19288   Diatraea lineolata (Walker, 1856)
Distribution Data for Diatraea lineolata
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Distribution: South America, Central America, Mexico, and South Texas.
Seasonality
and Size:
Two to three generations per year. Wingspan ranges 20-42mm
Larva and
Host Plants:
Larvae of D. lineolata feed primarily on Zea mays (corn). Larvae pale yellow with small inner tooth on mandible. Head light reddish-brown. Crochets in a triordinal circle. Identification of larvae is often only possible to the genus level. Pinacula non-pigmented in diapausing individuals, and pigmented in non-diapausing individuals. Larvae have been compared to Eoreuma loftini however they lack the large dark pinacula seen in D. lineolata and are much smaller.
Description/
Field Marks:
Forewings pale cream and with white hindwings. Lacks an ocellus. Convex frons.
Similar Species:
  • Larvae nearly identical to D. grandiosella, if feeding or overwintering habit is known, it can aid in identification. D. lineolata does not girdle stalks at the base and does not overwinter in the stalk, below ground level, as seen in D. grandiosella. Superficially resembles many Chilo species; to distinguish them, examine the frons which is convex in D. lineolata, and forwarding pointing in Chilo. Furthermore, Chilo possess ocelli, whereas Diatraea do not.
  • Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Photographs are needed for this species.

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