Meristem-feeder

Guides

Cactoblastis
Cactoblastis is a genus of snout moths (Pyralidae) described by Émile Louis Ragonot in 1901. The genus contains five described species native to South America, with C. cactorum being the most extensively studied due to its historical role as a biological control agent. Larvae are specialized internal feeders on cactus cladodes, and the genus is notable for complex collective behaviors in neonate caterpillars. C. cactorum was famously introduced to Australia in 1925 to control invasive prickly pear cacti, achieving significant success, though later spreading to threaten native Opuntia species in other regions.
Lepidoptera Pyralidae biological-control Opuntia cactus-moth herbivory social-behavior invasive-species classical-biological-control South-America Australia Florida neonate-aggregation egg-stick internal-feeder meristem-feeder mandibular-gland-marking trail-following contagious-distribution population-regulation host-specificity ecosystem-impact historical-ecology pest conservation-concern