moth

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

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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 … Read more

A moth outbreak has killed off forests across Siberia, now the flammable wood is causing wildfires that humans are unable to contain

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A moth outbreak has killed off forests across Siberia, now the flammable wood is causing wildfires that humans are unable to contain

An insect outbreak has left Siberia’s forests dead while also transforming the region into a tinderbox where wildfires are now spreading beyond human control. The trees burning across Krasnoyarsk this year were, in a lot of cases, already dead. Not from the fire or the drought, but because of a small moth.Dendrolimus sibiricus, the Siberian … Read more