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Discovering the Desert / Diverse Landscapes

Yucca Moth

Yucca Moth

Joshua trees have a unique relationship with the yucca moth (Tegeticula antithetica and Tegeticula synthetica). In an example of Darwinian co-evolution, Joshua tree flowers are the only hosts for yucca moth eggs and larvae, and the moth is the tree’s sole pollinator.

National Park Service photograph
White Sands National Park

Last updated: 07/17/2023 12:48:02