Rupela albinella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Oviposition Behavior and Egg Distribution on Rice Plants

Oviposition by a rice stem borer, Rupela albinella (Cramer), was studied on rice plants. Moths preferred to oviposit on plants older than 50 days. Foliage was highly preferred over stems as oviposition sites. Three times as many egg masses were deposited on the abaxial leaf surface as compared with the adaxial leaf surface. Leaves two and three were preferred for oviposition. Of eight cultivars tested Viflor was preferred for oviposition, while Tapuripa, another Peruvian line, had fewer egg masses.