Loxomorpha flavidissimalis (Grote, 1877)
Cactus Webworm
 (previously known as Botys flavidissimalis)
PYRAUSTINAE,   CRAMBIDAE,   PYRALOIDEA
 
Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley


(Photo: courtesy of the Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

The Caterpillars of this species are off-white. They feed on

  • Prickly Pear ( Opuntia species, CACTACEAE ).

    and grow to a length of about 1 cm.

    The species was imported specially from North America to help control the Prickly Pear infestation in Australia.

    The adult moth has yellow or orange-brown wings with dark zigzag lines across each one. The moth has a wingspan of about 2 cms


    (Photo: courtesy of CSIRO/BIO Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

    The species is found in

  • Mexico,
  • Puerto Rico,
  • U.S.A.

    and is now found in

  • Australia.

    Further reading

    Augustus Radcliffe Grote,
    New Pyralides. III,
    The Canadian Entomologist,
    Volume 9 (1877) p. 105.

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    (written 12 April 2019)