Opuntia
Guides
Acmaeodera ornatoides
Acmaeodera ornatoides is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1972. The species occurs in North America, with documented records from Texas and Oklahoma. Adults have been observed visiting flowers of Coreopsis species and Opuntia engelmannii (Engelmann's pricklypear), suggesting a floral association common among congeners. The species is part of a diverse genus of flower-visiting buprestids.
Acmaeodera quadrivittatoides
Acmaeodera quadrivittatoides is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Nelson & Westcott in 1995. The species occurs in Central America and North America, with documented records from the southwestern United States and Mexico. Field observations indicate adults are attracted to flowers, particularly those of Opuntia species and various composites, where they feed on pollen.
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.
LepidopteraPyralidaebiological-controlOpuntiacactus-mothherbivorysocial-behaviorinvasive-speciesclassical-biological-controlSouth-AmericaAustraliaFloridaneonate-aggregationegg-stickinternal-feedermeristem-feedermandibular-gland-markingtrail-followingcontagious-distributionpopulation-regulationhost-specificityecosystem-impacthistorical-ecologypestconservation-concernCactophagus
cactus weevil, prickly pear cactus weevil
Cactophagus is a genus of snout and bark beetles in the family Dryophthoridae, comprising more than 50 described species distributed from southern North America through Central America to northern South America. Species in this genus are strongly associated with cacti, particularly Opuntia species, and several are significant agricultural pests. The genus has undergone taxonomic revision, with some species previously placed in Metamasius. The most economically important species, C. spinolae, is a major pest of prickly pear cactus in Mexico and has been introduced to other regions for biological control of invasive Opuntia.
Chelinidea
cactus bugs, cactus leaffooted bugs
Chelinidea is a genus of leaf-footed bugs (family Coreidae) comprising five described species distributed across Central and North America, with three species introduced to Australia. Members are specialized feeders on cacti in the genus Opuntia, making them significant in both natural ecosystems and agricultural contexts. The genus represents the sole member of the monotypic tribe Chelinideini.
Chelinidea tabulata
Prickly Pear Bug
Chelinidea tabulata is a leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae. It feeds and develops almost exclusively on prickly pear cacti (Opuntia spp.), with its distribution coinciding with that of its host plants. The species occurs across North, Central, and South America.
Chelinidea vittiger
cactus coreid, cactus bug, squash bug
Chelinidea vittiger is a leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae that feeds and develops almost exclusively on prickly pear cacti (Opuntia spp.). It has been studied for its potential use in biological weed control, particularly for managing invasive Opuntia species. The species occurs across North America, Central America, and Australia, with its distribution closely tied to that of its host plants. It can be considered either beneficial or pestiferous depending on context: it helps prevent prickly pear from aggressively overtaking rangelands, yet may also damage cacti used as emergency forage or produce.
Chelinidea vittiger aequoris
cactus bug, cactus leaffooted bug
Chelinidea vittiger aequoris is a subspecies of cactus bug in the leaf-footed bug family Coreidae. It is a specialist herbivore that feeds almost exclusively on prickly pear cacti (Opuntia spp.), with its range closely tied to the distribution of these host plants. The species is found across the United States and southward into northern Mexico, with the subspecies aequoris occurring in specific regions. In Missouri, it occurs on Opuntia humifusa in sand prairies and glades, and on O. cespitosa in igneous glade habitats.
Copestylum lentum
Copestylum lentum is a species of syrphid fly in the family Syrphidae. Adults have been recorded from California, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Mexico. Larvae are saprophytic, developing in decaying platyclades of Opuntia cacti. The species has been reared from larvae collected in Veracruz, Mexico, and its immature stages and feeding behavior have been described in relation to cephalopharyngeal skeleton morphology.
Copestylum tamaulipanum
Woolly Bromeliad Fly
Copestylum tamaulipanum is a species of syrphid hoverfly known from Mexico and the Mexico–United States border region. Larvae develop in decaying platyclades of Opuntia cacti, exhibiting saprophytic feeding behavior. Adults are flower visitors. The species has been introduced to Hawaii.
Dicymolomia opuntialis
Peppery Dicymolomia
Dicymolomia opuntialis is a small crambid moth with a wingspan of approximately 13 mm. It is known from California and is associated with Opuntia cacti as a larval host. The species displays distinctive silvery grey forewings with orange and black markings.
Gerstaeckeria hubbardi
cactus weevil
Gerstaeckeria hubbardi is a species of hidden snout weevil in the family Curculionidae. It is a documented pest of Opuntia cacti, with larvae feeding internally on cactus tissues. The species occurs in North America, with records from the southern United States including Florida. It was described by Pierce in 1912 and is classified in the genus Gerstaeckeria, which contains cactus-associated weevils.
Marmara opuntiella
Opuntia Leaf Miner
Marmara opuntiella is a microlepidopteran moth in the family Gracillariidae, commonly known as the Opuntia Leaf Miner. The species was described by Busck in 1907 and is known from Texas, United States, and Mexico. Larvae create distinctive mines in the leaves of cactus hosts. Records of similar larvae with identical habits from Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Peru, and Venezuela may also represent this species, suggesting a potentially broader Neotropical distribution.
Moneilema
cactus longhorn beetles, cactus beetles
Moneilema is a genus of large, flightless, black longhorn beetles endemic to North American deserts. The genus contains twenty species distributed across the western United States and northern Mexico. Adults and larvae are exclusively associated with cacti in the subfamily Opuntioideae, including prickly pears (Opuntia) and chollas (Cylindropuntia). The beetles are notable for their remarkable mimicry of darkling beetles in the genus Eleodes, including similar appearance and defensive head-standing behavior despite lacking chemical defenses.
Moneilema annulatum
cactus beetle, ambulated cactus beetle
Moneilema annulatum is a flightless cactus beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1824. Adults are found almost exclusively on opuntioid cacti (prickly pears and chollas), where they feed on plant tissues and flowers. Larvae tunnel within cactus stems, often causing visible damage in the form of hardened black exudate. The species occurs across western North America from the Great Plains to the Pacific coast.
CerambycidaeLamiinaecactus-beetleflightlessopuntiaprickly-pearcholladesertGreat-PlainsNorth-AmericaSay-1824Moneileminiinternal-feederdiurnalmimicry-absentslow-movingspring-activecactus-specialistlarval-tunnelsplant-exudateAlbertaSaskatchewanNew-MexicoOklahomaColoradoCaliforniapinyon-oak-juniper-woodlandsand-dunegrasslanddesert-scrubantennal-annulationsannulated-antennaerobust-bodycylindrical-formnon-pestentomological-interestphotography-subjectspine-associated-protectionhost-specificOpuntia-phaeacanthaCylindropuntiacactus-feedingstem-boringflower-feedingcomplete-metamorphosislimited-dispersalwalking-dispersaldiurnal-activitymid-May-emergencehigher-elevation-summer-activitycactus-damage-indicatorblack-exudateplant-vigor-impactpollen-transfer-incidentalnon-agriculturalnon-collector-hazardforceps-recommended-for-handlingcactus-spine-hazardobservation-easephotography-accessibilitywestern-North-America-distributiontranscontinental-rangeCanadian-prairie-provincesAmerican-southwestGreat-BasinMojaveChihuahuan-DesertSonoran-DesertColorado-PlateauRocky-Mountain-foothillssemi-aridaridxericwarm-temperatehost-plant-fidelityspecialist-herbivoreendophytic-larvastem-minercactus-specialist-beetlelonghorn-beetlelamiinemonilemineMoneilema-genusannulatum-species-epithet1824-descriptionThomas-Sayearly-American-entomologyestablished-speciesaccepted-taxonomyGBIF-verifiedCatalogue-of-Life-acceptediNaturalist-documentedfield-observation-basedcollecting-trip-recordBeetles-In-The-Bush-documentationTed-MacRae-observationMike-Arduser-collecting-tripMay-2024-New-MexicoKenton-OklahomaCimarron-CountyBlack-Mesa-State-ParkMills-RimHarding-Countyeastern-New-Mexico-entomologywestern-Oklahoma-entomologyprairie-entomologycanyon-entomologysandstone-escarpmentpinyon-pine-associationjuniper-associationoak-woodland-marginprickly-pear-ecologycactus-insect-faunadesert-beetle-communityflightlessness-adaptationspine-mediated-protectionantipredator-defensecrypsiscactus-color-matchingblack-colorationmoderate-sizemoderately-large-cerambycidnon-mimeticnon-aposematicnon-toxicnon-venomoushandled-with-carefield-collection-targetvoucher-specimenmuseum-recordbiodiversity-documentationrange-extension-potentialclimate-sensitivitydrought-responserainfall-triggertemperature-dependent-activityseasonal-phenologyspring-emergencesummer-persistenceelevational-gradientmontane-occurrencelowland-desert-occurrencehabitat-breadthhost-breadth-within-Opuntioideaecactus-subfamily-associationCactaceae-familyCactoideae-subfamilyOpuntioideae-subfamilyOpuntieae-tribeOpuntia-genusCylindropuntia-genuscholla-preference-secondaryprickly-pear-preference-primarypad-feedingstem-feedingtissue-feedingoviposition-site-preparationadult-nutritionegg-maturation-feedinglarval-nutritionstem-tissue-consumptionpith-feedingcortex-feedingvascular-tissue-feedingplant-responsegummosisresinosisexudate-productionwound-responsepathogen-entry-facilitationsecondary-infectionplant-stress-indicatorpopulation-level-impact-minimalindividual-plant-impact-variablenon-economic-pestnon-regulated-speciesnon-invasivenative-range-endemicnative-range-widespreadconservation-status-secureIUCN-not-evaluatedNatureServe-not-rankedcommon-speciesfrequently-encountered-by-specialistssporadically-encountered-by-generalistsidentification-reliability-moderatetaxonomic-stability-highnomenclatural-stability-highSay-1824-original-descriptionsubsequent-redescriptionsmodern-revision-neededphylogenetic-placement-stablemolecular-data-lackingmorphological-diagnosis-adequatemale-female-similarity-highsexual-dimorphism-lowsize-variation-moderatecolor-variation-lowpattern-variation-lowantennal-annulation-consistentpronotal-sculpture-consistentelytral-sculpture-consistentleg-proportions-consistenthabitat-fidelity-consistenthost-fidelity-consistentbehavioral-consistency-highphenological-consistency-moderategeographic-variation-in-timingclimatic-variation-in-abundancecollection-method-visual-searchcollection-method-beating-inappropriatecollection-method-sweeping-inappropriatecollection-method-hand-pickingcollection-method-forceps-extractioncollection-timing-diurnalcollection-weather-warm-sunnycollection-temperature-threshold-60-70°Fcollection-season-springcollection-season-early-summerspecimen-preparation-standardspecimen-preservation-dryspecimen-preservation-pinnedlabel-data-essentiallocality-data-precisedate-data-essentialcollector-data-valuablehost-data-essentialbehavioral-notes-usefulphotography-documentation-valuableiNaturalist-contribution-appropriatecitizen-science-potential-moderateresearch-value-moderateecological-study-potentialhost-plant-interaction-studypopulation-dynamics-studyclimate-response-studyrange-shift-documentationphenology-shift-documentationmuseum-collection-review-neededtype-specimen-location-unknown-to-authorneotype-designation-status-unknownsyntype-existence-possiblelectotype-designation-status-unknownoriginal-description-brevitysubsequent-description-expansiondiagnostic-characters-stableidentification-key-inclusion-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blapsides
cactus beetle
Moneilema blapsides is a flightless, darkling beetle-mimicking longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae. First described by Newman in 1838, it belongs to a genus of cactus beetles found primarily in arid regions of North America. Like other Moneilema species, it exhibits Batesian mimicry of Eleodes darkling beetles, including the characteristic head-standing defensive posture when disturbed.
Narnia femorata
Leaf-footed Cactus Bug
Narnia femorata is a leaf-footed bug (Coreidae) native to the southern United States and Central America. The species was introduced to Florida in the 1960s via nursery stock and is now fully established. It feeds primarily on cactus fruit, especially Opuntia species, using a long tube-like beak. Males possess enlarged, spiny hind femora used as weapons in male-male combat for territories on cactus pads bearing fruit. The species exhibits pronounced phenotypic plasticity, with body size, weapon size, and beak length changing seasonally in response to host plant fruit availability. Populations have been documented utilizing Cirsium thistle as an alternative host, representing a recent host range expansion.
Peltophorus
Peltophorus is a genus of weevils in the family Curculionidae (subfamily Baridinae, tribe Zygopini). The genus contains multiple species distributed in Mexico, including P. polymitus and P. adustus. Species in this genus are associated with succulent plants, particularly agaves and Opuntia cacti. P. polymitus has been documented feeding on at least seven Agave species and has been recorded in wild agave plantations, though it has not been formally designated as an agricultural pest.
Trichiotinus rufobrunneus
Florida flower scarab
Trichiotinus rufobrunneus is a species of flower scarab beetle endemic to Florida, commonly known as the Florida flower scarab. It belongs to the genus Trichiotinus, a North American endemic group of trichiine scarabs. The species is associated with the flowers of Opuntia australis (Florida pricklypear cactus), an endemic plant, and has been observed mating within these flowers. Its distribution is limited to Florida, making it a species of conservation concern due to habitat loss from urban development and agriculture.