Insects Feeding
on these Plants:
____________
Opuntia spp. (Prickly Pear) [Cactaceae]
(observations are from Rider, Covell, Needham et al., Felt, Baranowski & Slater)
Diptera (Flies)
Cecidomyiidae: Contarinia opuntiae (Cactus Pad Midge) [this species was found at the New York Botanical Gardens, Bronx, NY, where it infested 2 species of Opuntia] Flt1917
Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Coreidae: Chelinidea vittiger [oligophagous, found as far north as Tennessee & Virginia] BS1986; Pentatomidae: Chlorochroa uhleri Rid2009
Lepidoptera (Butterflies, Skippers, & Moths)
Arctiidae: Grammia arge (Arge Moth) [polyphagous, host referred to as 'cactus'] Cv2005; Pyralidae: Dicymolomia julianalis [polyphagous] Cv2005, Melitara prodenialis [larvae bore into cactus pads; this species is found south & west of Illinois on Opuntia humifusa, Opuntia macrorhiza, & other Opuntia spp.] Ndm1928