Scirpophaga innotata Walker
- Family: Crambidae
- Subfamily: Schoenobiinae
- Genus: Scirpophaga
- Distribution: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, W. Malaysia, Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan Selatan, Sumbawa, Sulawesi, Timor, New Guinea, Australia (W, N.T. Q). Philippines, China (Hong Kong), Taiwan.
- Habitat: Lowland Padi Fields.
- Wing Length: Male 19; female 21.mm
Taxonomy
The female holotype of Tipanaea innotata Walker, 1863b: 523 from Sarawak is in the BMNH.
Description
There is some sexual dimorphism; the females have creamy white FW and a shining, silky white, HW their abdomen is rather long and stout with a white anal tuft. The males are similar but slightly more brownish and often slightly smaller with thinner abdomens. The genitalia of both sexes of S. innotata are similar to those of S. incertulas but externally the sp. are markedly different.
Life History
The oriental Rice White Stem-borer is a severe pest of wet-season rice crops. The borer feeds on Rice (Oryza sativa), wild rice spp. (O. australiensis & O. perennis agg.), sugar cane (Sacharrum officinarum & Sacharrum spp.) (Poaceae) & Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae). In Australia the borer passes through up three or four overlapping generations the number depending on the rice growing period. The adults can aestivate from 4-7 months until the onset of rains. The females lay 140-160 eggs in two masses. covered by hair scales from the anal scale tuft. The larvae bore directly into the stem through the leave sheath causing ‘dead hearts’ or ‘white heads’. They pass through at least six instars in 19-61 days but they may aestivate in the stubble stems or soil. Pupation takes place in a white cocoon in the lower internode of the plant and lasts 7-11days.
References
- Lewvanich, A. (1981) A revision of the old world species of Scirpophaga (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Entomol. 42 (4): 185-298.
- Li., C.S. (1991) The biology and ecology of the white rice stem borer, Scirpophaga innotata (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Northern Australia. Technical Bulletin 171, 40 pp. Dept. of Primary Industry & Fisheries, Darwin, NT 0800.