Little E/Z changes make a big difference

The coming of summer brings promise for humans and insects alike. The farmer planted maize for a bountiful harvest, but the European Corn Borer (ECB) is looking for a good meal right away. The caterpillars of this pest bore deep into the maize stems, where they eat the inner pith causing the weakened stalks to fall over before the ears can ripen. As if one pest were not bad enough, there are even two different races, called E and Z that have a subtle difference in the shape of their pheromones. Interfering with the pheromone communication system of pest insects is a promising means of crop protection. But for years the E/Z distinction, so obvious to the insects, has baffled researchers.

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