An Invasive Bug Could Wipe Out Texas Cactuses. The Story Of How It Got Here Spans Centuries And Continents.
KUT Nothing says Texas like the prickly pear cactus. But the cactus moth could wipe them out. A desert without a cactus is like a cat without whiskers and, in Texas, there is no cactus more iconic than the prickly pear. The plants, with their spiny pads and purple fruit, do more than complete the landscape; they support the desert ecosystem, provide food and shelter to animals, and form the basis of a multimillion dollar agricultural industry. But the prickly pear could be lost thanks to an invasive moth. Colin Morrison A prickly pear cactus pad heavily infested with cactus moth larvae. The o...
Source: kut.org