Sesamia cretica

Field infestations are easily detected by walking through crops looking for the symptoms (see Symptoms). Care must be taken to distinguish between dead hearts caused by shootflies (Atherigona spp.), chloropids and some plant pathogens, especially Fusarium. Identical symptoms are also caused by other species of stem borer and the presence of S. cretica is best confirmed by collecting larvae and pupae from damaged stems and rearing adults for identification by specialists.