Three generations of the maize stalk borer, Busseola fusca (Fuller) per year were observed in maize fields in Southern Ethiopia. However, the third generation was not important on maize. The first generation developed on young maize plants during the wet season (April–July). The second generation occurred in July and majority of larvae went into diapause from September to February while a small proportion pupated in the months of September and October and gave rise to a third generation. Pupation of the diapause larvae was observed in April.
Female moths from the first (non-diapause) generation laid significantly more eggs than those coming from a diapause generation. Longevity of these moths was also significantly longer than the diapause generation. Despite the indicated differences, female moths from both generations laid most of their eggs between the second and fifth nights after emergence. The number of eggs laid and rates of hatching declined with age of moths irrespective of generations.