Florida Entomologist (2007) 90, 278-281

Orville G. Marti and James E. Carpenter (2007)
A character demonstrating the occurrence of mating in male Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
Florida Entomologist 90 (1), 278-281
Abstract: The reproductive system of adult male Cactoblastis cactorum , the cactus moth, was examined to determine whether the mating status of males could be ascertained. In unmated males, the posterior portion of the primary ductus ejaculatorius simplex is opaque yellow in color and contains many small football-shaped hyaline granules 3-5x5-10 µm in size. In mated males, the posterior simplex is clear and contains no granules. The presence or absence of these characters was found to be highly reliable and should be of value in determining mating status in marked-recaptured males of this species in a sterile insect release program directed against Cactoblastis.
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Database assignments for author(s): Orville G. Marti, James E. Carpenter

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Cactoblastis cactorum