Bug FAQEastern Cactus-boring Moth
Melitara prodenialis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Pyralidae
Also called: Moth
The Eastern Cactus-boring Moth lives in the southeastern United States from New York down the Atlantic coast to Florida and west to Oklahoma and Texas. The caterpillars eat the pads of prickly-pear cacti (Opuntia).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Its habitat includes the Atlantic coastal plain and adjacent inland areas within its native range.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the cladodes (pads) of Opuntia cacti.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In Florida, a third generation occurs each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In Arkansas, adults are on the wing from June to July and again from September to October.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 18 of 51 states and DC. Most records: North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New York, Arkansas, New Jersey, New Mexico.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How many generations does the Eastern Cactus-boring Moth have?
It usually has two generations per year, but in Florida it can have three.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on the pads of Opuntia (prickly-pear) cacti.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Pyralidae)
Indian-Meal MothPlodia interpunctellaCan damage your home
Greater Wax MothGalleria mellonella
Mediterranean Flour MothEphestia kuehniellaCan damage your home
Meal mothPyralis farinalisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bee MothAphomia sociellaNuisance, not dangerous
Yellow-fringed Dolichomia MothHypsopygia olinalisSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melitara_prodenialis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.