Cactus moth
- Pronunciation
- /KAK-tus moth/
- Category
- Entomology
- Singular
- cactus moth
- Plural
- cactus moths
Definition
A pyralid , , native to South America and widely introduced for of Opuntia cacti (prickly pears). Larvae tunnel through cladodes, causing plant collapse. The achieved classic success in 1920s Australia but later became invasive in North America and the Caribbean, threatening native Opuntia species and cochineal industries.
Etymology
From the larval association with cacti of the Opuntia.
Example
The cactus was introduced to Queensland in 1925 and within a decade devastated 24 million hectares of prickly pear ; conversely, its unintended spread into Florida in 1989 now threatens rare native Opuntia and commercial spineless cactus .
Synonyms
- South American cactus moth
- nopal moth
- Cactoblastis cactorum
Related Terms
- Biological control
- Invasive species
- Opuntia
- cladode
- Pyralidae
- host-specificity
- Classical biological control
Usage Notes
Usually refers specifically to , though the vernacular is occasionally applied loosely to other cactus-feeding . distinguish the Australian (deliberately introduced, generally beneficial) from populations in North America (accidental or range-expansion, ecologically damaging). The term implies no particular taxonomic rank.