Cactus borers will be the larval worms of cactus moths (Cactoblastis cactorum) that breed and lay their eggs on prickly-pear cactus plants (Opuntia spp.). The larvae carry on chewing and breakthrough the outer epidermis and eating, tunneling to the meaty section of the cactus leaves. They remain in the cactus, till they mature into moths sheltered in their their food supply in the sun and predators. Moths were released as a control for prickly-pear cactus that was invasive, but might become spread to other cactus species and difficult.
Appearance
Borers arise as pink-coloured, segmented caterpillars with reddish-black dots along their backs. They change the dots change as well as orange tinged in to bands. They’re simple to see on the the top of cactus in cool or shade temperatures but devote the majority of their time in the cactus epidermis, consuming and tunneling. They leave a hole that is big where they split to a pile of cactus flesh in the cactus as well as the cactus skin they assault. When mature and ready to pupate, they spin a superb cocoon that is white just or at ground-level in leaf litter beneath the soil.
Habitat
Cactus borers, moths as well as their larvae, are indigenous to South America, particularly Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. They were released in the 1920s as to Africa, Australia and North America a biological for invasive prickly-pear.
Life Cycle
Moths are small moths that live no more than nine times after emerging from their cocoons. They lay eggs before dying on cactus pads. The eggs hatch in 18 to 28 times and start feeding that is voraciously to get several weeks. They spend of a month in the cocoon phase before beginning the cycle again and hatching.
Prevention
If present in huge figures, cactus borers are hard to to manage while the worms remain in the tunnels they produce, because applications of pesticides stick to the the top of crops. Animals prey on the cactus borers, including reptiles and birds. If identified on little or backyard landscape cacti, hand drowning them and picking the worms at dusk when the warmth of the day is completed is a a efficient little-scale therapy.