The "sabra" cactus plant, whose prickly pear fruit has been a long-time symbol of Israeli Jews -- prickly on the outside and sweet on the inside -- is in danger of extinction by insects spreading from the north of the country. The Jewish National Fund and the Volcani Center for Agricultural Research are working to stop the spread of the insect and save the plants. For the past two months, groups of cacti in the Hula Valley have been found covered by a deadly white parasite. The Volcani Center and the JNF identified the parasite as dactylopius opuntiae (cochineals), often used to control cactus growth in Australia and South Africa. The bug feeds on cacti, and is thought to have reached Israel by way of a plant imported from abroad. "It is possible that someone accidentally brought the insect to Israel. He may have seen a nice cactus in South America, and it would be enough for him to have brought one leaf to Israel and planted it, and that is how the insect -- which is difficult to see on the cactus -- grew and spread," David Brand, JNF's head forester and the person responsible for the solving the pest control problem, told Israel Hayom. Those dealing with the infestation reported that, the moment the pest was identified, it was clear that immediate action to eliminate it was necessary, as its spread could threaten cactus plants all over the country. However, because cacti are wild plants that grow in many varied locations, deciding on a course of action was more difficult. JNF and Volcani Center experts have begun follow-up observations to assess the damage and to ensure that the insects have not spread to new areas. Past experience has shown that local extermination and uprooting affected plants is not enough, but that long-term treatment in the form of importing the pest's natural enemies to limit its destructive activities may be necessary. "The smart thing to do -- as with any struggle with a pest -- is to stop it at the beginning," Brand said. "If it has already spread to many areas, it is hard to stop it, and then you are dealing with a treatment [plan] that may last three years or more. "I would like to be optimistic, and we are working at full speed, but from past experience, we have had very few incidents where we were able to stop the spread [of a pest] at the last minute. Despite that, I am hopeful that we will be able to stop it."
