Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Causes of mortality at different stages of Cactoblastis cactorum in the native range

  • Published:
BioControl Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is native to South America and has been used successfully as a biocontrol agent against invasive species of Opuntia (Cactaceae). After its release in the Caribbean, it entered North America, dispersed to southeastern USA, and may reach Mexico threatening native cacti biodiversity and industry based on Opuntia spp. Identifying mortality factors acting on insect populations is central to develop pest management programs. The objective of this study was to estimate mortality causes of C. cactorum in its native range through life table experiments conducted on the exotic O. ficus-indica (L.) Miller and the native species O. quimilo K. Schum. and O. megapotamica Arechav., to detect vulnerable stages and natural enemies. The main mortality factors were generalist predators and native plant defenses. Apanteles opuntiarum Martínez & Berta (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was found to be the parasitoid with the highest potential as a biocontrol agent.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bellows TSJ, van Driesche RG, Elkinton JS (1992) Life-table construction and analysis in the evaluation of natural enemies. Annu Rev Entomol 37:587–612

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett F, Cock MJW, Hughes IW, Simmonds FJ, Yaseen M (1985) A review of biological control of pests in the Commonwealth Caribbean and Bermuda up to 1982, vol 9. Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control, Farnham Royal

    Google Scholar 

  • Bloem S, Mizell RF, Bloem KA, Hight S, Carpenter JE (2005) Laboratory evaluation of insecticides for control of the invasive Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Fla Entomol 88:395–400

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks C, Ervin G, Varone L, Logarzo G (2012) Native ecotypic variation and the role of host identity in the spread of an invasive herbivore, Cactoblastis cactorum. Ecology 93:402–410

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carey JR (1989) The multiple decrement life table: a unifying framework for cause-of-death analysis in ecology. Oecologia 78:131–137

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carey JR (1993) Applied demography for biologists with special emphasis on insects. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Clancy KM, Price PW (1987) Rapid herbivore growth enhances enemy attack: sublethal plant defenses remain a paradox. Ecology 68:733–737

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeBach P (1974) Biological control by natural enemies. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Desurmont GA, Donoghue MJ, Clement WL, Agrawal AA (2011) Evolutionary history predicts plant defense against an invasive pest. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 108:7070–7074

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dickel TS (1991) Cactoblastis cactorum in Florida (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae). Trop Lepid Res 2:117–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodd AP (1940) The biological campaign against prickly pear. Commonwealth Prickly Pear Board, Brisbane

    Google Scholar 

  • Elkinton JS, Buonaccorsi JP, Bellows TSJ, van Driesche RG (1992) Marginal attack rates, k-values and density dependence in the analysis of contemporaneous mortality factors. Res Popul Ecol 34:29–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ervin GN (2012) Indian fig cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller) in the Americas: an uncertain history. Haseltonia 17:70–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzgerald TD, Wolfin M, Young R, Meyer K, Fabozzi E (2016) Collectively facilitated behavior of the neonate caterpillars of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Insects 7:59. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects7040059

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Font F (2014) A revision of Opuntia serie Armatae K. Schum. (Opuntia ser. Elatae Britton & Rose (Cactaceae-Opuntioideae). In: Hunt D (ed) Further studies in the Opuntioideae (Cactaceae), vol 8. Succulent Plant Research, pp 51–94

  • Futuyma DJ, Agrawal AA (2009) Macroevolution and the biological diversity of plants and herbivores. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:18054–18061

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ganjisaffar F, Perring TM (2017) A life table analysis to evaluate biological control of banks grass mite using the predatory mite, Galendromus flumenis (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Syst Appl Acarol 22:7–13

    Google Scholar 

  • García-Turudi JC, Martorell LF, Medina Guad S (1971) Geographical distribution and host plant list of the cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. J Agric Univ Puerto Rico 55:130–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Espinosa M, Quintana-Asensio PF (1986) Seed predation and dispersal in a dominant desert plant: Opuntia, ants, birds, and mammals. In: Estrada A, Fleming TH (eds) Frugivores and seed dispersal. Dr. W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 273–274

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Guzmán Loayza D, Chávez J (2007) Estudio bromatológico del cladodio del nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) para el consumo humano. Rev Soc Quím Perú 73:41–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins BA, Cornell HV, Hochberg ME (1997) Predators, parasitoids and pathogens as mortality agents in phytophagous insect populations. Ecology 78:2145–2152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hight SD, Carpenter JE (2009) Flight phenology of male Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) at different latitudes in the southeastern United States. Fla Entomol 92:208–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hight SD, Carpenter JE (2016) Performance improvement through quality evaluations of sterile cactus moths, Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), mass-reared at two insectaries. Fla Entomol 99:206–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hight SD, Carpenter JE, Bloem KA, Pemberton RW, Stiling P (2002) Expanding geographical range of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in North America. Fla Entomol 85:527–529

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hothorn T, Bretz F, Westfall P (2008) Simultaneous inference in general parametric models. Biom J 50:346–363

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jezorek HA, Stiling PD, Carpenter JE (2010) Targets of an invasive species: oviposition preference and larval performance of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on 14 North American opuntioid cacti. Environ Entomol 39:1884–1892

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jezorek H, Baker AJ, Stiling P (2012) Effects of Cactoblastis cactorum on the survival and growth of North American Opuntia. Biol Invasions 14:2355–2367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-012-0234-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson DM, Stiling PD (1998) Distribution and dispersal of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), an exotic Opuntia-feeding moth, in Florida. Fla Entomol 81:12–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kakde AM, Patel KG, Tayade S (2014) Role of life table in insect pest management: a review. J Agric Vet Sci 7:40–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiesling R (1998) Origen, domesticación y distribución de Opuntia ficus-indica. J Prof Assoc Cactus Dev 3:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Leibee GL, Osborne LS (2001) Chemical control of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Fla Entomol 84:510–551

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lobos E, Ochoa de Cornelli J (1997) Observations on Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) as a pest of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) in Argentina with suggestions on possible control methods. J Prof Assoc Cactus Dev 2:97–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Logarzo G, Casalinuovo M, Piccinali R, Braun K, Hasson E (2011) Geographic host use variability and host range evolutionary dynamics in the phytophagous insect Apagomerella versicolor (Cerambycidae). Oecologia 165:387–402. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-010-1782-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martínez JJ, Berta C, Varone L, Logarzo GA, Zamudio P, Zaldívar-Riverón A, Aguilar-Velasco RG (2012) DNA barcodes and morphological identification of the southern South American species of Apanteles (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) parasitoids of cactus feeding moths (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae). Invertebr Syst 26:435–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mengoni Goñalons C, Varone L, Logarzo GA, Guala ME, Rodriguero M, Hight SD, Carpenter JE (2014) Geographical range and laboratory studies on Apanteles opuntiarum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Argentina, a candidate for biological control of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in North America. Fla Entomol 97:1458–1468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naranjo SE (2001) Conservation and evaluation of natural enemies in IPM systems for Bemisia tabaci. Crop Prot 20:835–852

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nattero J, Malerba R (2011) Biología de especies australes: Opuntia quimilo K. Schum. Kurtziana 36:79–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Paraiso O, Hight SD, Kairo MTK, Bloem S (2011) Egg parasitoids attacking Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in North Florida. Fla Entomol 94:81–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pemberton RW, Cordo HA (2001) Potential and risks of biological control of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in North America. Fla Entomol 84:513–526

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pemberton RW, Liu H (2007) Control and persistence of native Opuntia on Nevis and St. Kitts 50 years after the introduction of Cactoblastis cactorum. Biol Control 41:272–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pimienta-Barrios E, Muñoz-Urias A (1995) Domestication of Opuntias and cultivated varieties. In: Barbera G, Inglese P, Piemienta-Barrios E (eds) Agro-ecology, cultivation, and uses of cactus-pear, vol 13. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO Plant Production and Protection Rome, pp 58–63

  • Pinheiro J, Bates D, DebRoy S, Sarkar D, R Core Team (2018) nlme: linear and nonlinear mixed effects models. R package version 3. https://cran.r-project.org/package=nlme. Accessed 3 Dec 2018

  • Quinn GP, Keough MJ (2002) Experimental design and data analysis for biologists. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team (2018) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. http://www.r-project.org. Accessed 3 Dec 2018

  • Raghu S, Walton C (2007) Understanding the ghost of Cactoblastis past: historical clarifications on a poster child of classical biological control. Bioscience 57:699–705. https://doi.org/10.1641/b570810

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson HG (1985) The ecology of Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae) in relation to its effectiveness as a biological control agent of prickly pear and jointed cactus in South Africa. Rhodes University, Grahamstown

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson HG, Hoffmann JH (1989) Mortality and life-tables of Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) compared on two host-plant species. Bull Entomol Res 79:7–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez LC, Pascual U, Niemeyer HM (2006) Local identification and valuation of ecosystem goods and services from Opuntia scrublands of Ayacucho, Peru. Ecol Econ 57:30–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simonsen TJ, Brown RL, Sperling FAH (2008) Tracing an invasion: phylogeography of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in the United States based on mitochondrial DNA. Ann Entomol Soc Am 101:899–905

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soberón J, Golubov J, Sarukhán J (2001) The importance of Opuntia in México and routes of invasion and impact of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Fla Entomol 84:486–492

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varone L, Manteca Acosta M, Logarzo GA, Briano JA, Hight SD, Carpenter JE (2012) Laboratory performance of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on South and North American Opuntia species ocurring in Argentina. Fla Entomol 95:1163–1173

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varone L, Logarzo GA, Briano JA, Hight SD, Carpenter JE (2014) Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) use of Opuntia host species in Argentina. Biol Invasions 16:2367–2380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varone L, Logarzo GA, Martínez JJ, Navarro F, Carpenter JE, Hight SD (2015) Field host range of Apanteles opuntiarum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Argentina, a potential biocontrol agent of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in North America. Fla Entomol 98:803–806

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vigueras GAL, Portillo L (2001) Uses of Opuntia species and the potential impact of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidopera: Pyralidae) in Mexico. Fla Entomol 84:493–498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winston RL, Schwarzländer M, Hinz HL, Day MD, Cock MJW, Julien MH (2014) Biological control of weeds: a world catalogue of agents and their target weeds, 5th edn. USDA Forest Service, Morgantown, West Virginia. FHTET-2014-04. p 838

  • Zangerl AR, Berenbaum MR (2005) Increase in toxicity of an invasive weed after reassociation with its coevolved herbivore. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102:15529–15532. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0507805102

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann HG, Erb HE, McFadyen RE (1979) Annotated list of some cactus-feeding insects of South America. Acta Zool Lilloana XXXIII(2):101–112

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann HG, Moran VC, Hoffmann JH (2000) The renowned cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum: its natural history and threat to native Opuntia floras in Mexico and the United States of America. Divers Distrib 6:259–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuur A, Ieno EN, Walker N, Saveliev AA, Smith GM (2009) Mixed effects models and extensions in ecology with R. Springer, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank María Moore, Vanina Varni, Mariana Sanchez de Bock, José Diez and Diego Medina for technical and field assistance throughout the study; and Arabella Peard and Guillermo Cabrera Walsh for help in reviewing and revising the manuscript for grammar and syntax. Apanteles opuntiarum were imported into the FDACS-DPI quarantine facility under APHIS permits P526P-13-00380 and P526P-16-00945; exported from Argentina under Jefatura de Gabinete de Ministros, Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable, Dirección de Fauna Silvestre permit #29537/13 and SENASA DNPV permit # 667. This research was supported in part by the USDA-Mexico Bi-National Cactus Moth Program and by USDA, APHIS-PPQ, with funding through Farm Bill Section 10201 and Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (Grant No. 2016-1447).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Laura Varone, María B. Aguirre, Mariel Guala & Guillermo A. Logarzo

  2. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Laura Varone, María B. Aguirre & Florencia Palottini

  3. Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero, Santiago del Estero, Argentina

    Enrique Lobos

  4. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina

    Darío Ruiz Pérez

  5. USDA-ARS-CMAVE at Center for Biological Control, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL, 32308, USA

    Stephen D. Hight

Authors
  1. Laura Varone
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. María B. Aguirre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Enrique Lobos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Darío Ruiz Pérez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Stephen D. Hight
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Florencia Palottini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Mariel Guala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Guillermo A. Logarzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura Varone.

Additional information

Handling Editor: S. Raghu

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 25 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Varone, L., Aguirre, M.B., Lobos, E. et al. Causes of mortality at different stages of Cactoblastis cactorum in the native range. BioControl 64, 249–261 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-019-09938-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-019-09938-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation