Title: FIRST RECORDS OF THE SUGARCANE PEST, BLASTOBASIS GRAMINEA ADAMSKI (LEPIDOPTERA: COLEOPHORIDAE: BLASTOBASINAE), FROM MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA
Authors
Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: January 22, 2002
Publication Date: N/A
Interpretive Summary: The caterpillars of Blastobasis graminea, a small brown moth in the family Coleophoridae, inflict considerable damage to cultivated sugarcane in Colombia and Venezuela. Through coordination with colleagues in Mexico and Costa Rica, we document the first records of this important pest in the latter two countries. It is unknown whether these records represent recent invasions, previously undetected older invasions, or host-switching by the moth. It is recommended that survey efforts for this species be conducted in northern Mexico and southeastern United States where sugarcane is grown. These new distributional data will be important for action agencies, such as APHIS-PPQ, and sugarcane growers in the southeastern United States and northern Mexico.
Technical Abstract:
Although well known as an economically important pest of sugarcane in Colombia and Venezuela, Blastobasis graminea previously was unknown outside these two countries. We report the discovery of this species in Mexico and Costa Rica. It is unknown whether these records represent new invasions, previously undetected older invasions, or host-switching by the moth.
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