Protecting native prickly pear cactus

Sea Oats Chapter Vice President George Waters, a member unit of the Florida Native Plant Society, told Historic City News local reporters in St Augustine that June meeting attendees will learn about the impact of invasive moth control on our native prickly pear cactus.

The cactus is a “threatened” local plant species that attracts the invasive cactus moth, Waters told reporters.

On Tuesday, June 19, the organization welcomes Emily Montgomery, Coastal Training Coordinator for Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, when they convene at 7:00 p.m. at the St Augustine Beach City Hall located at 2200 A1A South.

Conservation of native cacti species in Florida, hindered by the invasive moth and control methods being used to combat it, will be the basis of the program.

This program is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.fnps.org or call 904-347-2704.

Photo credits: © 2012 Historic City News staff photographer