corn borer

noun

1. any of several pyralid moths, as Pyrausta (ostrinia ) nubilalis European corn borer, the larvae of which bore into the stem and crown of corn and other plants.

corn borer

noun

1. the larva of the pyralid moth Pyrausta nubilalis, native to S and Central Europe: in E North America a serious pest of maize

Word History and Origins

Origin of corn borer¹

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

The study looked at the damage bugs like the European corn borer and the Asiatic rice borer could do as temperatures rise.

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In 1996, U.S. regulators approved corn that was genetically engineered to produce bug-killing proteins, accomplished by inserting a bacterium hostile to the corn borer insect into the plant genome.

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It is worth noting that natural forces had been heavily relied on for control of the corn borer.

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MON 810 is marketed by US biotech giant Monsanto and is modified to be resistant to the European corn borer, a damaging insect pest.

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Just as others were about to dismiss it as a “little brown thing,” he said, “Oh, actually, that looks like it could be a European corn borer.”

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