▁They ▁have ▁been ▁reported ▁as ▁feed ing ▁on ▁Man ila ▁h emp , ▁sugar c ane ▁and ▁y ams , ▁but ▁they ▁probably ▁only ▁do ▁this ▁when ▁they ▁are ▁unable ▁to ▁access ▁ban ana ▁plants . ▁ ▁The ▁adult ▁female ▁depos its ▁her ▁eggs ▁sing ly ▁between ▁the ▁leaf ▁she ath ▁and ▁the ▁stem , ▁or ▁at ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁stem ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁the ▁c orm . ▁On ▁h atch ing ▁about ▁six ▁days ▁later , ▁the ▁lar va e ▁bur row ▁into ▁the ▁stem ▁or ▁the ▁root , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁their ▁bur row ing ▁activities ▁that ▁weak en ▁the ▁plant ▁and ▁make ▁it ▁li able ▁to ▁be ▁blow n ▁over . ▁The ▁complete ▁life ▁cycle ▁takes ▁ 3 0 ▁to ▁ 4 0 ▁days , ▁including ▁a ▁lar val ▁stage ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 ▁days . ▁In ▁sout he astern ▁Asia , ▁the ▁ban ana ▁root ▁b orer ▁is ▁pre yed ▁on ▁by ▁the ▁be et le ▁Pla es ius ▁jav anus , ▁which ▁fe eds ▁on ▁the ▁eggs , ▁all ▁the ▁lar val ▁stages , ▁the ▁pup ae ▁and ▁the ▁adult s . ▁This ▁be et le ▁has ▁been ▁introduced ▁to ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁root ▁b orer ' s ▁range ▁to ▁attempt ▁bi ological ▁p est ▁control . ▁ ▁Dam age ▁The ▁t unn elling ▁activities ▁of ▁the ▁root ▁b orer ▁weak en ▁the ▁stem , ▁make ▁the ▁plant ▁more ▁sus cept ible ▁to ▁lod ging , ▁cause ▁reduced ▁u pt