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Cactus Moth (Cactoblastis cactorum)

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Hosts

C. cactorum prefers to lay its eggs and feed on prickly pear cacti which fall in the genus Opuntia also known as Platyopuntia in earlier taxonomic treatments. Other related cacti are not thought to be preferred hosts, are members of a newer named genus Cylindropuntia (formerly Opuntia), called “cholla cactus” (pronounced “choya”).

photo of prickly pear

Prickly pear, Opuntia (Platyopuntia), (left) and Cholla, Cylindropuntia (right). The latter are not considered preferred hosts.
Image: Joel Floyd, USDA, APHIS. PPQ


 
photo of prickly pear

Prickly pear, Opuntia (Platyopuntia) (foreground) and Cholla, Cylindropuntia (background).
Image: Joel Floyd, USDA, APHIS. PPQ

A recent key to Opuntia species native to the US with illustrations and range maps, can be accessed online at www. eFloras.org. Many Opuntia's used in landscaping or as potted nursery plants however, may not be listed in this key if they are not native to the US, but the following is a list of Opuntia commonly used in nurseries and landscaping:

A selection of prickly pear species commonly found in the nursery and landscape trade:

Opuntia basilaris
O. engelmanii
O. ficus-indica
O. lindheimeri

O. microdasys
O. robusta
O. rufida
O. santa-rita

List of Opuntia hosts, native and naturalized* (excluding non-native nursery stock)

Alabama

Arizona

California
OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA*
O. HUMIFUSA
O. MONACANTHA*
O. PUSILLA
O. STRICTA 		O. AUREA
O. BASILARIS
O. CHLOROTICA
O. ENGELMANNII
O. FICUS-INDICA*
O. FRAGILIS
O. LITTORALIS
O. MACROCENTRA
O. MACRORHIZA
O. PHAEACANTHA
O. PINKAVAE
O. POLYACANTHA
O. SANTA-RITA		 O. BASILARIS
O. CHLOROTICA
O. ENGELMANNII
O. FICUS-INDICA*
O. FRAGILIS
O. LITTORALIS
O. ORICOLA
O. PHAEACANTHA
O. POLYACANTHA
O. TOMENTOSA*

Colorado

Florida

Louisiana
O. FRAGILIS
O. HUMIFUSA
O. MACRORHIZA
O. PHAEACANTHA
O. POLYACANTHA
O. TORTISPINA

O. COCHENILLIFERA (Syn. Nopalea cochenillifera)
O. CUBENSIS
O. FICUS-INDICA*
O. HUMIFUSA
O. LEUCOTRICHA*
O. MONACANTHA*
O. PUSILLA
O. SPINOSISSIMA (Syn. Consolea corallicola)
O. STRICTA
O. TRIACANTHA

 O. ENGELMANNII
O. FICUS-INDICA*
O. HUMIFUSA
O. MACRORHIZA
O. MONACANTHA*
O. PUSILLA
O. STRICTA

Mississippi

 Nevada New Mexico

O. ENGELMANNII
O. FICUS-INDICA*
O. HUMIFUSA
O. MONACANTHA*
O. PUSILLA
O. STRICTA

O. BASILARIS
O. CHLOROTICA
O. ENGELMANNII
O. FRAGILIS
O. PHAEACANTHA
O. POLYACANTHA

O. CHLOROTICA
O. CYMOCHILA
O. ENGELMANNII
O. FICUS-INDICA*
O. FRAGILIS
O. GRAHAMII
O. HUMIFUSA
O. MACROCENTRA
O. MACRORHIZA
O. PHAEACANTHA
O. POLYACANTHA
O. SANTA-RITA

Texas

 Utah  

O. ACICULATA
O. ATRISPINA
O. AUREISPINA
O. CHISOSENSIS
O. CYMOCHILA
O. EDWARDSII
O. ELLISIANA
O. ENGELMANNII
O. FICUS-INDICA*
O. FRAGILIS
O. HUMIFUSA
O. MACROCENTRA
O. MACRORHIZA
O. PHAEACANTHA
O. POLYACANTHA
O. PUSILLA
O. RUFIDA
O. SANTA-RITA
O. STRIGIL

O. AUREA
O. BASILARIS
O. CHLOROTICA (Syn. Consolea chlorotica)
O. ENGELMANNII
O. FRAGILIS
O. MACROCENTRA
O. MACRORHIZA
O. PHAEACANTHA
O. PINKAVAE
O. POLYACANTHA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Modified: March 19, 2007

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