Chilo sacchariphagus, the spotted borer, is a moth of the family Crambidae. It was described by Wenceslas Bojer in 1856 and was originally found in South and South-East Asia, where there are three subspecies:
The larvae are a major pest to sugar cane.
In 1850 Chilo sacchariphagus sacchariphagus had been introduced in sugarcane setts from Java to Mauritius,[1] around 1855 also to the neighbouring island Réunion. Its presence is also confirmed in Madagascar and Comores.[2] In 1999 the first presence on the African continent was confirmed in sugar estates in Mafambisse, Mozambique and in 2001 also in Marromeu.[3]
In attempting its biological control, the Mauritian government had introduced 31 species of parasitoids. Only two became established (Trichogramma australicum and Cotesia flavipes).[4]