Southwestern Corn Borer vs Cattle Biting Louse

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Southwestern Corn Borer Cattle Biting Louse
Scientific Name Diatraea grandiosella Bovicola bovis
Order Lepidoptera Phthiraptera
Family Crambidae Trichodectidae
Size 25-35 mm wingspan 1.5-2 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions Southern United States, Mexico Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Oceania
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Southwestern Corn Borer

A pale moth whose larvae bore into corn stalks and girdle stems from the inside, causing extensive lodging. It is a major corn pest in the southern Great Plains of the United States.

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Did You Know?

Overwintering larvae girdle the corn stalk from the inside, deliberately weakening it so the stalk falls and provides insulated shelter.

Cattle Biting Louse

A chewing louse that infests cattle worldwide, causing irritation and economic losses in livestock. Infestations worsen in winter when cattle have thick coats.

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Did You Know?

Winter infestations of this louse can cause cattle to rub and scratch so intensely that they damage fences and lose significant weight.