Cactus Moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) |
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![Divider](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090115183300im_/http://www.aphis.usda.gov/images/slice.gif) |
Cooperative Research on Control Strategies
Currently,
the best hope for control of C. cactorum lies with the
use of the sterile insect technique (SIT). There are effective
insecticides if applied at the time when egg sticks or neonate
larvae are present, but this method would only be appropriate
in urban or agricultural situations. The candidate biological
control agents that are known are not specific enough in their
host preferences to be considered.
An experimental
sex lure is now available in large enough quantities for trapping
on a limited basis. This work is made possible by researchers
with the USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) in Florida (Robert
Heath, Nancy Epsky, Barbara Duben, and Peter Teal). The final
sex pheromone should be available in the coming months.
USDA, ARS
and APHIS researchers in Florida (Stephen Hight, Ken and Stephanie
Bloem,) and Georgia (Jim Carpenter) have made great strides in
research since 2000 and the resulting technical developments make
SIT a viable alternative for suppressing C. cactorum populations. The artificial diet developed is effective to make
large scale artificial rearing possible and the irradiation biology
testing indicates that reared sterilized insects are as competitive
as native moths in field cage studies. The concept of control
using SIT is to overwhelm the native population with sterile individuals,
thereby drastically reducing the probability of native female’s
mating with fertile, native males. Beginning in the Spring of
2005, they began releasing sterilized C. cactorum in
a large scale validation study on Santa Rosa Island, Florida and
Dauphin Island, Alabama.
![Photo of Pherocon wing trap](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090115183300im_/http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/cactoblastis/downloads/images/trap_hight-tn.gif) |
The Pherocon® 1C wing trap has been tested by ARS and shown to be the most effective design at attracting males moths, with an optimum 3 to 4 foot trap height. Image: Stephen Hight, ARS. |
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Rearing C. cactorum on an artificial diet and irradiator used to sterilize pupae |
![c. cactorum rearing trays](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090115183300im_/http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/cactoblastis/downloads/images/trays-tn.gif) |
C. cactorum rearing trays |
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![c. cactorum larvae](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090115183300im_/http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/cactoblastis/downloads/images/larvabskt-tn.gif) |
C. Cactorum larvae |
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![photo of irradiator](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090115183300im_/http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/cactoblastis/downloads/images/tank-tn.gif) |
Irradiator |
Last Modified:
January 26, 2007