Damage by European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) to popcorn kernels compared with damage to kernels of dent corn and sweet corn

A study was conducted to compare feeding by European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis , to popcorn kernels with direct feeding on sweet and dent corn kernels to determine the damage potential of the ECB to popcorn kernels. Most damaged or consumed kernels were at the tip of the ear. The greatest amount of damage occurred in sweet corn. Damage to popcorn kernels was much lower than to those of sweet corn and similar to those of dent corn.