Do second generation Asia corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) immigrate to corn fields from alternate habitats?

• Ostrinia furnacalis inhabit non-corn fields during the 2nd generation, and may move to corn fields and cause damage.
• Trap catches decreased in traps in soybean fields as they were placed closer to corn fields
• Males in soybean fields did not move into nearby corn fields.
• Asian Corn borer females lay eggs in their initial habitat and do not move to corn from other habitats for oviposition.

Many Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée), Asian corn borer, moths inhabit non-corn fields during the second generation, and could fly into corn fields and cause damage. Therefore, during 2013–2014, O. furnacalis pheromone baited Delta traps were distributed to investigate captures in different host habitats, such as corn fields preceded by various crops, or soybean fields neighboring corn. Months captured from various host fields were evaluated in the laboratory for fecundity, female longevity and mating behavior. The sex ratio of females to males from black light baited water traps deployed in soybean and corn fields was also compared. More males were found in the soybean fields, and catches decreased in traps going from the field center toward a corn field. This indicates that males in soybeans were not moving into nearby corn fields. No significant differences were noted in sex ratios, life span and fecundity of females between locations. Therefore the O. furnacalis females apparently lay eggs in their initial habitat but may move to soybeans for mating.

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