IFAS Extension
Cactus Moth, Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
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Agriculture
Abstract
Since its arrival in the Florida Keys in 1989, this invasive species has become a serious threat to the diversity and abundance of Opuntia cactus in North America. The spread of this moth raises concerns about harm to rare opuntioid species (prickly pear and related cacti), the endangerment of wild opuntioids in the southwestern United States and Mexico, and the consequent effects on entire desert ecosystems and economic hardship for communities in Mexico that cultivate and sell Opuntia.
About this Publication
This document is EENY-056 (originally published as DPI Entomology Circular No. 333), one of a series of the UF/IFAS Department of Entomology and Nematology. Original publication date August 1998. Revised September 2012 and April 2013. Visit the Ask IFAS website at https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication. © 2026 UF/IFAS. This publication is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
How to Cite
Habeck, D. H., Bennett, F. D., & Miller, C. (2012). Cactus Moth, Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). EDIS, 2012(9). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-in213-2012
Authors
D. Habeck
professor emeritus (deceased), UF/IFAS Department of Entomology and Nematology, Gainesville, FL
F. Bennett
professor emeritus, UF/IFAS Department of Department of Entomology and Nematology, Gainesville, FL
C. Miller
former professor, behavior and evolution, UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Department, Gainesville FL