Cactus moth found at 74 sites in SE Louisiana - Sept 2009

[Mike Quinn]

I hadn't heard that it made it to LA. I don't find any 2010 reports
of its position... Mike Quinn, Austin

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Cactus moth must be stopped, Ag officials say

By Nikki Buskey
Staff Writer - HoumaToday
September 3, 2009
( page 2 of 3 )

After inspecting prickly pear cactus along the coast and setting
traps, they discovered the bugs had already migrated as far into
Louisiana as Cocodrie. [Map: http://bit.ly/fDmJQF]

They’ve found the moths at 74 sample sites in the state so far.

The USDA is launching an aggressive campaign in southeast Louisiana
beginning this month to prevent the further spread of the cactus moth
into states where it could do more damage, Spitzer said. That includes
stepping up trapping and inspection efforts and enlisting local help
to identify where prickly pear cacti hide in coastal Louisiana’s
remote landscape.

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20090903/ARTICLES/909039949?p=2&tc=pg
or: http://bit.ly/gEJT8u

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Spread of C. cactorum in the Continental US

It was first found on Big Pine Key in 1989.
It was found on Dauphin Island, Alabama in the summer of 2004,
on Petit Bois Island, Mississippi in January 2008 and Horn Island,
Mississippi in April 2008.

On June 2, 2009, APHIS confirmed detections of the South American
cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

APHIS map of moth's progression - dated May 2010
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/cactoblastis/downloads/map-may2010.pdf
or: http://bit.ly/hWRQQS


 
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