Levuana Moth: Biocontrol Backfire
This small, iridescent blue moth became a target after damaging coconut plantations in Fiji. Agricultural officials introduced parasitic flies specifically to eliminate them. The biocontrol effort succeeded too well. The last confirmed sighting came in 1929, with official extinction declared in 1994 after thorough surveys. The Levuana Moth demonstrates how biocontrol agents can sometimes eliminate not just pest numbers but entire species.