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Project Noah Nature School
Opuntia spp.
It is a Class 1 pest, the fruit is red and spiny, the leaves are flat and have spikes which really hurt if you stand on one!
Found in hot areas and pastures
Spotted on Apr 4, 2012
Submitted on Apr 12, 2012
2 Comments
Absolutely a pest, we learnt about them at school and that was a very long time ago!! They bought in a moth or caterpillar to kill them but I think the only way is to completely chop them down and burn them. Unfortunately the birds like to eat the fruit which then gets spread by their poo.
I had no idea they are a pest, I thought they were native!