prickly pear moth |
Insects: Terminal, Tip, Stem and Shoot Insects |
|
Hexapoda (including Insecta) > Lepidoptera > Pyralidae > Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg)
|
| Synonym(s): cactus moth |
| Cactus Moth is native to Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern
Brazil. It is known to be established in Florida, Georgia, and South
Carolina. Hosts include cactus species such as prickly-pear. The female
lays a long chain of eggs at the end of a cactus spine. The resulting
'egg-stick' resembles the spine of the cactus. After hatching, the
pinkish-cream colored larvae burrow into the pad of the plant. Larvae
move in groups as they feed and also push the frass onto the ground,
often forming significant piles. The space inside the plant is reduced
to a green mass of goo as the larvae feed. As they grow, caterpillars
become orange with dark red bands across each segment. Once mature,
they are about 1 to 1 1/2 of an inch long. They leave the plant and
form a white cocoon on the ground, either in a protected crevice of a
nearby tree or just among the debris. The adult has a 1 to 1 1/2 inch
wingspan with faint dark dots and lines on the light tan wings. At
rest, its wings wrap around its body. In Queensland, Australia, there
are two generations per year. It is expected that development would
occur faster in the warm climate of Florida. |
| Image |
Descriptor |
Description |
Photographer |
| 1265063 |
Adult(s) |
|
Don Herbison-Evans |
| 1267034 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267036 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267044 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267071 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267072 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267075 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267076 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267077 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267078 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267079 |
Adult(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 5199015 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199016 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199017 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199018 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199019 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199020 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199021 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199022 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199023 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199024 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199025 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199026 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199027 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199028 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199029 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199030 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199031 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199032 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199033 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199034 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199035 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199036 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199037 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199038 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199039 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199040 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199041 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199042 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199043 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199044 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199045 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199046 |
Adult(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 1294009 |
Adult(s) |
|
Dale Habeck |
| 5015059 |
Adult(s) |
|
Ignacio Baez |
| 5015067 |
Adult(s) |
Female moth of Cactoblastis cactorum |
Ignacio Baez |
| 5015068 |
Adult(s) |
Female moth of Cactoblastis cactorum on fruit of Opuntia stricta. |
Ignacio Baez |
| 5015070 |
Adult(s) |
Female of Cactoblastis cactorum "calling" males (bottom right) |
Ignacio Baez |
| 5199059 |
Cocoon(s) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 1267067 |
Cocoon(s) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267068 |
Cocoon(s) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267069 |
Cocoon(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267032 |
Cocoon(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267033 |
Cocoon(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267016 |
Damage |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267020 |
Damage |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267021 |
Damage |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267022 |
Damage |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267023 |
Damage |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267024 |
Damage |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267025 |
Damage |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267026 |
Damage |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267027 |
Damage |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267028 |
Damage |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267029 |
Damage |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267030 |
Damage |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267031 |
Damage |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267048 |
Damage |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 2130069 |
Damage |
|
Stephen Davis |
| 5007067 |
Damage |
|
Randy Westbrooks |
| 5007069 |
Damage |
July 13, 2005. |
Randy Westbrooks |
| 1294044 |
Damage |
The larvae (black & orange striped "grubs" about 25mm long) tunnel through the plant, hollowing out the limbs and segments of the plant. Sometimes they destroy 90% of the plant |
Les Tanner |
| 2130067 |
Damage |
And Larvae |
Stephen Davis |
| 1267096 |
Damage |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 5015060 |
Egg(s) |
Female cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum laying eggs on cladode of Opuntia ficus-indica |
Ignacio Baez |
| 5015066 |
Egg(s) |
Egg sticks of Cactoblastis cactorum on spines of Opuntia ficus-indica. Notice how eggs ar a mimic of the cactus spine. |
Ignacio Baez |
| 1267053 |
Egg(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267055 |
Egg(s) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267056 |
Egg(s) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267057 |
Egg(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267058 |
Egg(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267059 |
Egg(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267080 |
Egg(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267082 |
Egg(s) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267042 |
Egg(s) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1265062 |
Larva(e) |
|
Don Herbison-Evans |
| 1267017 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267019 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1265064 |
Larva(e) |
|
Don Herbison-Evans |
| 1265139 |
Larva(e) |
|
Don Herbison-Evans |
| 1267001 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267002 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267003 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267004 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267005 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267006 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267007 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267008 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267009 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267010 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267011 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267012 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267013 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267014 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267083 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267085 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267086 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267088 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267089 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267090 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267091 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267092 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267093 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267060 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267061 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267062 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimen, shown with ruler for size comparison |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267049 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267050 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267051 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267047 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 5015058 |
Larva(e) |
Native cactus moth, Melitara sp.(left), and invasive cactus moth, Cactoblastic cactorum (right) |
Ignacio Baez |
| 5015069 |
Larva(e) |
|
Ignacio Baez |
| 5172099 |
Larva(e) |
larvae on Opuntia ficusindica |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5172100 |
Larva(e) |
larvae on Opuntia ficusindica |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5173001 |
Larva(e) |
larvae on Opuntia ficusindica |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5015061 |
Larva(e) |
|
Ignacio Baez |
| 5015063 |
Larva(e) |
Cohort of cactus moth larvae, Cactoblastis cactorum. Notice different instars within cohort. |
Ignacio Baez |
| 5015064 |
Larva(e) |
Cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum feeding on Opuntia stricta at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Florida |
Ignacio Baez |
| 5015065 |
Larva(e) |
Third instar larvae of Cactoblastis cactorum moving to a new cladode of Opuntia stricta. St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Florida |
Ignacio Baez |
| 1267097 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267099 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimen |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267101 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 1267102 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267103 |
Larva(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267104 |
Larva(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
| 2130068 |
Larva(e) |
|
Stephen Davis |
| 1294045 |
Larva(e) |
|
Les Tanner |
| 5199047 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199048 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199049 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199050 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199051 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199052 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199053 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199054 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199055 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199056 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199057 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199058 |
Larva(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5015057 |
Pupa(e) |
|
Ignacio Baez |
| 5199060 |
Pupa(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199061 |
Pupa(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199062 |
Pupa(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199063 |
Pupa(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199064 |
Pupa(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 5199065 |
Pupa(e) |
|
Jeffrey W. Lotz |
| 1267063 |
Pupa(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267066 |
Pupa(e) |
Captive specimens |
Susan Ellis |
| 1267038 |
Pupa(e) |
|
Susan Ellis |
|
