Rice red spot
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September 20 08:45:38, 2025
Callitetix versicolor (Fabricius), belonging to the family Mosquillidae under the order Hemiptera, is commonly known as the firefly. It is also referred to as red spot foam or rice red spots black foam. This pest is widely distributed across China, ranging from northern Zhejiang, Henan, and Shaanxi provinces down to Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Fujian.
The primary host of this insect is rice, but it can also cause damage to sorghum, corn, millet, sugarcane, and rapeseed. In 1985, it caused serious harm to rice, corn, and sorghum in Hunan province.
When rice is infested, the main damage occurs on the flag leaves. Adults feed on the leaf sap, initially causing yellow spots, followed by reddish tips. Irregular reddish-brown stripes appear on the back of the leaves or between the midrib and the leaf margin, eventually leading to complete wilting. Before the booting stage, the plant may struggle to head, while after booting, the damage leads to short spikes and more empty grains. In corn, the feeding causes yellow to brown elongated spots around the puncture site, with white patches appearing on the affected leaves. Sorghum suffers similar damage, with long elliptical or irregular spots that can lead to plant death.
Morphologically, adults measure 11–13.5 mm in length, with a black, shiny body. The front wings are nearly parallel when closed. The head is slightly convex, with dark brown compound eyes and yellow-red ocelli. The face is convex and densely covered with fine black hairs, with a prominent central ridge. The antennae base is short and black. The small scutellum is triangular, with a large spindle-shaped depression on top. The forewings are black, featuring two large white spots near the base. Males have a large red spot near the base, while females have two large and small red spots. Eggs are oval and milky white. There are five nymphal instars, resembling adults, with white coloration that turns light black over time, and spores covering their bodies for protection.
In terms of life habits, Callitetix versicolor completes one generation per year in regions such as Henan, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan. Overwintering eggs are found 3–10 cm deep in the rhizosphere or in cracks of field weeds. Nymphs hatch from mid-May to late May of the following year, feeding on grass roots in the soil. After two years, they gradually move upward. Nymphs often excrete body fluids, which form spores for self-protection and help them climb to the soil surface. By mid-June, they emerge as adults. Adults can sterilize rice, sorghum, or corn within 3–4 hours after emergence. Their population peaks in July, declines after August, and disappears by late November. Each female lays 164–228 eggs. The egg stage lasts 10–11 months, the nymph stage 21–35 days, and the adult lifespan ranges from 11 to 41 days. They tend to be scattered in activity, being most active in the early evening and late afternoon in rice fields. During high temperatures and strong sunlight, they hide in weeds. When they occur in large numbers, they fly in groups at night. They usually attack the center of the field.
For prevention and control, in severely affected areas, winter and spring plowing combined with composting or spring tilling can help kill some overwintering eggs and prevent nymph hatching. If necessary, spraying 40% isoprocarb EC (150–200 ml, containing 30–40 g active ingredient) during June to July, diluted in 100–150 L of water, while maintaining a shallow water layer in the field, can effectively control the pest. This method also helps in treating rice and other crops. Additionally, 45% malathion EC diluted 1000 times or 40% omethoate diluted 1500 times can be used for control.