This is the remarkable story about a plague of prickly-pear cactus plague that nearly crippled Australia during the first quarter of the 20th century. At its peak, the cactus invasion held within its spiny grip more than 60 million acres of choice farm and dairy land and was still spreading at a rate of over a million acres a year. Like some monster from outer space, roads, farms, and entire towns disappeared beneath its "octopus-like" growth. The author takes the reader back into time to hear first-hand accounts of what life was like in this "green Hell" and to explore the reasons why such a plague occurred. Readers will also learn how a group of mostly self-taught biologists were able to save that country by introducing a small brown moth, with the big name of Cactoblastis cactorum, from Argentina whose larvae are voracious cactus-eaters. Finally, there is a special section about gripping new developments concerning this small insect hero that now puts the ecology of the American deserts at serious risk and how a team of American scientists dedicated to reducing that risk are facing that challenge. Complete with 30 color photos, extensive notes and bibliography section, and index.