Gypsy Moth - Lymantria dispar

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Gypsy Moth - Lymantria dispar

• Most destructive defoliating insect in North
  America
• Kills Conifers and Hardwoods
• Nuisance in urban areas
• Cause medical problems as some allergic to
  hairs
• Introduced insect pest
• Billions of dollars has been spent on this
  creature
• One of the Big Bug research areas
• Eventually will be in Georgia Alabama

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Trouvolet and Introduction video
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Spread
1965
1900
1995
1934
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Mountain Side Defoliated by Gypsy moths
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Gypsy Moth Life Cycle
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Adult males emerge in June July and locate
females using pheromones.
Note feathery antennae of male
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Gypsy Moth Females and Egg Masses on Tree Trunk
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Female lay egg masses on tree trunks or other
vertical objects. An egg mass contains 100 1500
eggs which are the over-wintering stage.
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Eggs hatch the following spring. Gypsy Moth
first instar larvae
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Larvae emerge in Mid-April and disperse by
ballooning Have very long hairs are easily
airborne
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Instars 4-6 feed on new foliage first and then
move on to older foliage if necessary
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Mature Gypsy Moth larvae are large insects and
one can eat several leaves a day.
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Gypsy Moths often pupate on tree trunks. Pupae
are found in June and July which lasts about 2
weeks. Pupal case

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• Adults emerge,
• find each other and
• the cycle continues.
• One generation
• per year.
• Females do not FLY.

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Gypsy Moth Ecology
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Management Considerations
Natural enemies Parastoids Pathogens Predat
ors Climate
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Ant attacking Gypsy Moth Pupa
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White footed mice eating Gypsy Moths
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Diptera Parasitoid on egg masses
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Gypsy Moth Video
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Management Considerations
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(No Transcript)
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Alabama Gypsy Moth Survey Program Part of USDA
Forest Services Slow the Spread
Program Cooperative effort between USDA/APHIS,
Auburn University Alabama Extension Service
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• Gypsy Moth Slow the Spread Program
• Expectations
• 1)
• 2)
• 3)

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• Slow the Spread has three main thrusts
• TrappingOfficials monitor gypsy moth populations
  by placing a grid of pheromone-baited traps to
  allow early detection in of the moth in new
  areas. 
• Suppression Reduce populations using various
  options including 1) mating disruption with
  pheromone flakes, 2) mass trapping 3) releases
  of sterile insects 4) spraying with Bacillus
  thuringiensis (Bt), diflubenzuron (disrupts
  development) or the NPV virus Gypchek.
• Regulatory Work Human movement of infested
  articles is a major factor in spread.  Regulatory
  actions to reduce such movement will be enforced. 

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Pheromone Trap and dispensers
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• Gypsy Moth captures 2000
• Jefferson
• Winston
• Morgan

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• Gypsy Moth captures 2001
• Cleburne
• Barbour
• Butler

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• Gypsy Moth
• captures 2002
• Limestone
• Winston
• Greene
• Dallas
• Tuscaloosa

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• Gypsy Moth captures 2003
• Lauderdale

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• Gypsy Moth captures 2004
• Madison
• Blount
• Calhoun

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End of Gypsy Moth Section