Kingdom Animalia Class Insecta Family Crambidae Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Order Lepidoptera Genus Scirpophaga | |
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Similar Scirpophaga nivella, Scirpophaga, Chilo infuscatellus, Chilo auricilius, Chilo sacchariphagus | ||
Scirpophaga excerptalis, the White top borer or Sugarcane top borer, is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Walker in 1863. It is found in China (Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan), Taiwan, Japan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, western Malaysia, Java, Sumba Island, Timor, Buru, Adonara Island, Ambon Island, the Philippines, New Guinea, New Hannover, New Britain, New Ireland, Australia and the Solomon Islands.
The wingspan is 22–28 mm for males and 26–35 mm for females. The fore- and hindwings are white, with an orange-red anal tuft in females.
The larvae feed on Saccharum (including Saccharum robustum and Saccharum officinarum) and Triticum species. Young larvae eat through rolled leaves, then usually penetrate along the midrib of the leaf into the heart of the plant. They then tunnel in the midrib, emerging through the upper epidermis.