Lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller)

The lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), attacks a variety of agricultural crop species (Metcalf et al., 1962). Less well known is the fact that seedlings of forest nurseries are susceptible to infestation and may incur severe damage or mortality. In 1981, nearly 1 million seedlings were killed by larvae of the lesser cornstalk borer in a forest nursery located in Central Florida.