The preference of the larvae of most lepidopteran species to feed on a single species or limited range of plants is used as a mechanism for biological control of weeds in place of herbicides. The pyralid cactus moth was introduced from Argentina to Australia, where it successfully suppressed millions of acres of prickly pear cactus. Another species of the Pyralidae, called the alligator weed stem borer ("Arcola malloi"), was used to control the aquatic plant known as alligator weed ("Alternanthera philoxeroides") in conjunction with the alligator weed flea beetle; in this case, the two insects work in synergy and the weed rarely recovers.