Mexican government wages war against moth

The Mexican government has launched an emergency plan to contain the invasion of a moth (Cactoblastis cactorium), which is threatening the country's national symbol--the prickly pear cactus or the nopal plant. The nopal appears on the Mexican flag and is deeply interwoven in the country's history, culture and diet.

Commonly known as cactus moth, the insect was first sighted on Isla Mujeres, an island off Cancun, in August. Since then the insect has caused incalculable damage to the country, as its larva is capable of eating its way through huge swaths of the cacti at an extraordinary rate. Officials want to contain the infestation before it jumps the 8 km strait between the island and the country's main territory. Once arrived, experts fear, the moths would convert millions of hectares of Mexico's semiarid land into deserts. Mexico hosts 83 of the world's 120 cacti species, 53 of which are found only in Mexico.

Native to South America, the moth cannot fly high or far. Experts blame its spread on human intervention. In the 1920s, the moth was brought to Australia to control alien prickly pear cacti. Since then, it has been carried to various parts of the world.