Damage Symptoms:

• Dead heart: In young rice plants, the borer larvae bore into the central shoot, causing it to dry out and die, a condition known as "dead heart". 
• White ear: In mature plants, the larvae attack the panicle (the grain-bearing part), causing it to dry and turn white, hence the term "white ear". 

Target Crops:

Yellow stem borers primarily target rice and paddy crops, but they can also infest other grassy plants.