Tuesday, December 11, 2007
D0358

Space-time interactions between gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) and associated entomopathogens in newly-established populations

Patrick C. Tobin, pc.tobin@gmail.com1, Ann E. Hajek, aeh4@cornell.edu2, Laura M. Blackburn, laurablackburn@fs.fed.us1, Joshua J. Hannam, jhannam@uark.edu3, Andrea Diss-Torrance, Andrea.DissTorrance@wisconsin.gov4, Kenneth F. Raffa, raffa@entomology.wisc.edu5, and Charlotte Nielson, chni@life.ku.dk2. (1) Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Northern Research Station, 180 Canfield Street, Morgantown, WV, (2) Cornell University, Department of Entomology, 6126 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY, (3) University of Arkansas, Department of Entomology, 319 AGRI, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, (4) Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Office of Science Services, Madison, WI, (5) University of Wisconsin - Madison, Entomology, 345 Russell Labs, 1630 Linden Dr, Madison, WI

The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), has methodically invaded the United States since its introduction outside of Boston, Massachusetts in 1869, and is currently established from eastern Wisconsin to northern North Carolina. As the gypsy moth colonizes new areas, entomopathogens that infect larvae, such as the fungus Entomophaga maimaiga and gypsy moth nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV), eventually disperse into new gypsy moth populations, but it is not known how long it takes for these pathogens to naturally follow. We conducted empirical studies in central and southern Wisconsin in 2005-2007 to quantify the movement of entomopathogens and to understand the association among pathogen incidence, gypsy moth abundance, and the time since initial gypsy moth establishment. These field data were then used to derive a space-time model of E. maimaiga and LdMNPV spread to better understand their role in gypsy moth invasion dynamics specifically at the gypsy moth population front.


Species 1: Lepidoptera Lymantriidae Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth)
Species 2: Entomophthorales Entomophthoraceae Entomophaga maimaiga