OBJECTIVES OF FOREST INSECT MANAGEMENT

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• OBJECTIVES OF FOREST INSECT MANAGEMENT
• At the end of this section students should be
  able to
• Have an understanding of the following ecological
  processes, concepts and pest management
  strategies.
• The dynamic events associated with forest
  succession and the role of forest insects in the
  process.
• The basic differences between forest insect
  management on federal forest lands versus on
  private lands.
• The mortality quotient and the concept of
  economic damage.
• The different insect pest management strategies
  including mechanical and physical control,
  chemical control, biological control, and some
  alternative methods of insect control.
• The kinds of insecticides used in applied control
  and the different formulations of those
  chemicals.
• The basic differences between density dependent
  and density independent control.

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Principles of Forest Insect Pest Management
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Hickory Horned Devil
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Regal Moth - adult of Hickory Horned Devil
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Philosophy of Forest Management 1)
Federal/State/County Lands 2) Industrial and
Private Forestry
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• Philosophy of Forest Management
• Federal/State/Government Lands
• Focus on Ecosystem Preservation
• Approaches
• Establish forest preserves
• Long rotations
• Encourage recreation use
• Protect biodiversity
• Protect endangered species

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• Philosophy of Forest Management
• Industrial and Private Lands
• Focus on Intensive Forestry
• Approaches
• Genetic Improvement
• Short rotations
• Thinning and pruning
• New technology in wood utilization and harvesting

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• Long Range Forest Management Goals
• Federal Forestry
• Maintaining Forest Health
• Industrial and Private Forestry
• Protecting Investments

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• Ecological Roles of Insects
• Herbivores Defoliators Gypsy moth
• Predators Checker beetles Mantids
• Prey Southern Pine Beetles, Aphids
• Detritivores termites, borers
• Vectors Elm beetles DED
• Pollinators

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What is a pest? Pest status depends on
population levels economic factors objectives
of stand. (It is not your younger sibling)
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Some Review Terms Equilibrium Position - The
average population level of an insect species
(EP). Economic Threshold - The population level
at which management action should be taken to
prevent the pest from reaching the economic
injury level (ET). Economic Injury Level - The
lowest number of insects that will cause economic
damage (EIL). Economic Damage - The amount of
pest-caused damage that justifies the cost of
applying pest control measures (ED).
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Some Insects are never economic pests - the
Equilibrium position (EP) is below the economic
threshold (ET) or Economic Injury level (EIL)
Example Eastern Tent caterpillar
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Some insects are occasional pests and must be
controlled at ET or they will reach
EIL. Example Spruce budworm, Douglas-fir
Tussock Moth
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Some insects are regular and serious pests the
Equilibrium position (EP) is above EIL all the
time unless steps are taken to keep them
low. Example Seed and cone moths in seed
orchards
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• Economic considerations in Pest
• Management include
• Value of crop
• 2) Cost of control
• 3) Pest status - depends on point of view

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• Approaches to Pest Management
• Mechanical Control
• Chemical Control
• Biological Control
• Integrated Pest Management

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1)Mechanical Control Fly swatters
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1) Mechanical Control

• Fly swatters

• Salvage logging

• Sanitation

• Water treatment of cut logs

• Kiln drying of lumber

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2) Chemical Control Effects on insects and humans
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Pesticides are poisons!
Characteristics of Pesticides

• Specificity range of action

• Persistence how long does it last?

• Toxicity How dangerous?

• Measures of Toxicity

• LD 50 dose (mg/kg) lethal to
• 50 of test population - Oral or Dermal

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Everyday Toxins
Acute oral LD 50s (mg/kg)
Table Sugar 29,700
Baking Soda 3,500
Malathion 1,375
Aspirin 1,000 (about 100 tablets)
Table Salt 400
Caffeine 192 (about 100 strong cups of coffee)
Gasoline 150
Nicotine 53
Vitamin D (pure) 9.5
For a 170 lb. male
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Mode of Action of Pesticides

• Stomach Poisons Bacillus thuringiensis

• Contact Poisons - Malathion

• Systemics - Temik

• Fumigants Methyl bromide

• Repellents N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide

• Attractants fire ant baits

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Insecticide Chemical Groups
a) Botanicals
Nicotine tobacco plants Pyrethrum -
chrysanthemums Rotenone tropical Derris plants

• Characteristics
• Quick knock down
• Short residual time
• Expensive

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b) Organochlorines - also called
Chlorinated hydrocarbons DDT Methoxychlor
Lindane Chlordane Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin

• Characteristics
• Generally have long residue
• Toxicity varies greatly

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c) Organophosphates - Malathion,
Parathion All are Cholinesterase Inhibitors

• Characteristics
• Generally very effective
• Toxicity varies greatly - (Oral
• LD 50 Malathion 1375,
• Parathion 2 mg/kg)
• Short residual

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Cholinesterase Inhibition
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d) Carbamates carbyaryl (Sevin) or
carbofuran (furdan) Cholinesterase Inhibitors

• Characteristics
• Generally quite effective
• Generally less toxic than OP
• Carbofuran is exception - Oral LD 50 8 mg/kg
• Residual limited, but longer than OP

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e) Synthetic Pyrethroids Ambush, Warrior T,
Pounce

• Characteristics
• Much more effective than natural Pryrethrum
• Used at very low rates
• Relatively safe - LD50 about 250 mg/kg
• Resistance by insects has become a serious problem

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• Formulation and Application of Insecticides
• Sprays
• Dusts
• Wettable Powders (WP)
• Emulsifiable concentrates (EC)
• Ultra low volume sprays (ULV)

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• Pesticide Safety
• Keep away from children
• Read the Label
• Legal contract between the user,
• the producer and the State and
• Federal Governments
• Remember these are poisons!

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Insect Growth Regulators Development Juvenile
Hormone (JH) Methoprene. Synthetic ecdysone
interferes with normal development Cuticle
formation - Diflubenzuron disrupts cuticle
formation, inhibits molting process
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• Behavioral chemicals semiochemicals
• Pheromones chemicals used for
• communication within species
• Sex Pheromones
• Aggregation pheromones
• Anti-aggregation pheromones

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• Behavioral chemicals semiochemicals
• Specific insect pheromones collected, analyzed
  and synthesized.
• Synthetic pheromone impregnated into rubber
  septum.
• Wendell Roel of (Cornell University)
• did much of the pioneering work in this field.

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• Pheromone may be used in insect control and pest
  management
• 1. Detection and monitoring
• 2. Trap outs Protection
• 3. Attracticides
• 4. Confusants

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1. Detection and monitoring Turf beetle
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2. Trap outs /Protection German Bark beetles
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3. Attracticides pheromone plus insecticide
Insects are attracted to the material and
killed. Many ants are killed in this manner
Amdro, etc.
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4. Confusants German Grape berry Moth
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• Biological Control
• a)Action of natural enemies
• b)Predators
• c)Parasites (Parasitoids)
• d)Pathogens

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• Biological Control
• Usually density dependent - the percentage of
  hosts killed increases with population density
• In contrast, natural control factors (like
  weather) are density independent
• Kill the same percentage of the pests regardless
  of population density

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• Native and Introduced biological control agents
• Predators
• Preying mantids
• Lady bird beetles (ladybugs)
• Lacewing larvae and adults
• Ground beetles

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Preying mantid
Lacewing adult
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Lady bird beetle (ladybug)
Larva eating aphids
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• Parasitoids
• Chalcid wasps
• Cynipid wasps
• Ichneumonid wasps
• Numerous Diptera

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• Value of Parasitoids vs. Predators
• Parasitoids
• Generally very host specific
• Well synchronized with host biology
• Predators
• Not host specific, can switch prey when food is
  scarce
• Populations do not die out when one prey is gone

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• Pathogens
• Bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt Controls
  many insect pests
• Fungi Entomophthorales spp. Infects Gypsy Moth
  larva
• Viruses NPV Nuclear Polyhydrosis virus (Gypsy
  Moth other larva). GV Granulosis Virus
  (Douglas-fir Tussock Moth)
• Protoza Nosema Fall Webworm

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• Approaches to Biological Control
• Importation from other countries
• Conservation that protect habitats of any
  biocontrol agents that may be present
• Enhancement Artificial rearing of agent for
  release to increase or enhance existing
  biocontrol populations

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• Advantages of Biological Control
• Control is self-perpetuating
• Control is selective and density dependent
• Does not create new problems - normally

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• Disadvantages of Biological Control
• Not effective against Direct Pests
• where any damage is unacceptable
• Some level of damage occurs and must be
  acceptable
• Must be implemented over large areas
• May take years to become effective

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Other Approaches to Insect Control Host
Resistance-- Preference/non-preference
Antibiosis Tolerance -
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Other Approaches to Insect Control Legislative
Control Laws made to prevent entry or spread of
pests. Quarantine against pine shoot borer.
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Integrated Forest Pest Management
The combination of all suitable techniques to
reduce or manipulate pest populations so that
they remain below economically important levels
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Questions to for Principals of Forest Insect
Management 1) What are the basic differences
in management philosophy between those in Federal
forestry and the private forestry companies? 2)
Why is control of seed orchard pests so
important? Why is the approach used in seed
orchards said to be similar to pest management in
agriculture? 3) What are the basic approaches to
pest management used in forestry? 4) What are
the basic characteristics of commonly used
insecticides? 5) What is the LD 50 of a
pesticide? 6) What is the basic mode of action
of the organophosphate and carbamate
insecticides? 7) What are semiochemicals and how
can they be used in forest pest management? 8)
What is the difference between density dependent
and density independent pest control? 9) What
type of biological agent was used in the control
program of the larch casebearer? Would you
characterize this as a program of introduction,
conservation or enhancement? 10) Why is Bacillus
thuringensis used so often in control of forest
Lepidoptera? 11) What are the basic types of
viruses used in control of forest pests? 12)
Explain why biological control agents are not
effective at eradicating a pest species.