The seasonal abundance ofBusseola fuscamoths at five localities in the maize production area of South Africa was monitored by means of Robinson light traps. Geographical variation in the flightpattern was shown to exist betweenlocalities from east to west. Both the time and magnitude of the three seasonal moth flights seem to be governed by climatic factors. It is pointed out that the severity and the time of occurrence of larval infestations in different localities are largely predetermined by the time of planting.S.Afr. J. Plant Soil1985, 2: 123–126