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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths (Pyraloidea) » Pyralid Moths (Pyralidae) » Phycitinae » Phycitini » Cactus-Feeding Group » Cactoblastis » Cactus Moth - Hodges#5970.1 (Cactoblastis cactorum)
Photo#280095
Caterpillars on Prickly Pear Cactus - Cactoblastis cactorum
Copyright © 2009 Ben Kolstad

Caterpillars on Prickly Pear Cactus - Cactoblastis cactorum
Yamato Scrub, South Florida County, Florida, USA
May 25, 2009
Size: ~1-1.5 in.
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Ben Kolstad on 26 May, 2009 - 3:01pm
Last updated 23 May, 2012 - 2:29pm

Moved
Moved from Butterflies and Moths.
… john and jane balaban, 5 December, 2009 - 10:29am login or register to post comments

yes
more often found inside the plant. An accidental (or maybe not) introduction into Florida from southern South America via the Caribbean. Was a good thing in Australia; is a very very very bad thing in the US and Caribbean. Locations should be reported to Extension Service or USDA PPQ. It's range is expanding rapidly in the se. US and it is threatening the very existence of native Cacti, particularly of the genus Opuntia.

Very closely related native species of moths (genus Melitara) have bluish caterpillars, are also destructive to cacti, but have native checks (preditors, diseases, etc.) that keep them from being so devastating to native cactus populations.
… David J. Ferguson, 27 May, 2009 - 1:26am login or register to post comments

 
What do you think of
?
… john and jane balaban, 6 June, 2009 - 6:29pm login or register to post comments

How about...
Cactus Moth (Cactoblastis cactorum)

… Ron M., 26 May, 2009 - 3:05pm login or register to post comments

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