Cactus Beetles

Description

• Cactus beetle larvae are yellowish-brown worms that are tube-shaped and shiny. As adults, cactus beetles are just over one inch long with two antennae that are almost as long as its body. In the middle of each antenna, there is a small white mark. Cactus beetles are flightless. Their two wings are fused together over the back.

Diet

• Cactus beetles eat young, seedling cactus, including the chollas, saguaro and the prickly pear cacti species. They are also known to feed on the barrel cactus. The beetles will feed on the pads of prickly pear cactus or the buds of other cacti.

Types

• There are over 20 different species of cactus beetle that belong to the Moneilema genus. Cactus beetles mimic the behavior of the stink beetle, which stands on its head and emits a noxious smelling black fluid to repel predators.

Reproduction

• Cactus beetles often lay their eggs on the cholla cactus. When the eggs hatch, the larvae of the cactus beetle burrow into the stems. As the larvae eat the cactus and tunnel their way through the plant, they push out a black waste product called frass. The frass appears as a black and crusty substance on the outside of the cactus. If the larvae burrow into the roots, the cactus may collapse and die.