| Cane beetle | ||||||||||||||
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| Dermolepida albohirtum (Waterhouse, 1875) |
The cane beetle, Dermolepida albohirtum, is a native Australian beetle and a pest of the sugar cane. The adult beetles ate the leaves of sugar cane but greater damage is the done by their larvae hatching underground and eating the roots, which either kills or stunts the growth of the plant.
The larvae, which are known as greyback cane grubs, are small white grubs.
The adult beetles are white with speckles of black and often smell like rotten pork.
The greyback cane beetle was, along with the Frenchi cane beetle, Lepidiota frenchi, the reason that the cane toad (Bufo marinus) was introduced in Australia. The cane toad was supposed to combat the beetles, to protect the sugar cane. However, it didn't, and became a pest.
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