Some Notes on Maize Stemborers in Nigeria1

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Abstract
Emergence of moths of Busseola fusca Fuller and Sesamia calamistis Hampson was influenced by the onset of darkness. Most of these moths emerged at about 7 pm, nearly an hour after sunset, and continued until about 10 pm. Copulation appeared to induce female stemborer moths to oviposit readily, uniformly, and within a few days. Unmated moths laid fewer eggs, and these erratically. Copulation of unmated females after a period of up to 4 days after emergence did not significantly affect the fecundity of females. In both B. fusca and S. calamistis there was only a slight difference between the longevity of the unmated male and female moths. Mated moths, especially the females, had a shorter life span, probably because of activities involved in mating and oviposition.

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