In 1957, a South American moth was released in the Caribbean to control prickly pear; by 1989 it had reached Florida and was attacking native and endangered cacti
According to scientists, the South American cactus moth primarily attacks Opuntia species, commonly known as prickly pear cactus. It can also occasionally affect Nopalea, Cylindropuntia and Consolea species. A pest once deliberately moved around the world to solve an agricultural problem has become a problem of its own. According to a report by the USDA’s…
