Insects in rice

The most important rice insect pests: harmful insects

The insects that harm rice can be classified into five main groups according to the type of damage they cause:

• stem borers

• defoliators

• piercing–sucking insects

• root cutters

• storage pests.

 

There are about 50 different species from two families: Lepidoptera and Diptera. The most frequent Lepidoptera are: Chilo spp., Maliarpha separatella, Sesamia calamistis, Nymphula depunctalis, Eldana saccharina, Scirpophaga spp. The most frequent Diptera are Diopsis spp. and Orseolla oryzivora, the ‘African rice gall midge’.

 

The development cycle of most insects follows four stages: adult, egg, larva, and pupa or cocoon. 

 

The table below shows some of the most insects in rice cropping.