Which moth larva is a major stalk and ear pest of corn?

• A. European corn borer
• B. Corn earworm
• C. Soybean aphid
• D. Stink bugs

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that some moth larvae cause damage by boring into corn tissues, affecting both the stalk and the ear. European corn borer larvae are notorious for tunneling inside the stalks and ears, which weakens stalks, can cause lodging, and damages ears and kernels. This combination of boring into both stalk and ear is what makes it a major stalk and ear pest in corn.

Corn earworm larvae also feed on corn ears, but their damage is focused more on the kernels of the ear rather than the stalk itself, so they’re not described as a major stalk pest. The remaining options are not moth larvae at all, and they don’t match the problem of boring into stalks and ears.

So the best answer is European corn borer.