Research Entomologist USDA-ARS Washington, District of Columbia
The genus Diatraea is one of the most economically important groups of moths in the Western Hemisphere. The larvae are stem borers that feed on species of Poaceae, or grasses, such as sugarcane, corn, rice, and sorghum, as well as many other native grasses. Interest in this group has risen considerably since sugarcane and other grasses have been utilized and/or investigated as biofuels. Several studies were conducted to clarify species identity in the Western Hemisphere.
