Dispersal capacity to hardwood log piles of European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar) larvae

European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar) is an invasive forest pest which defoliates a suite of over 300 deciduous and coniferous tree and shrub species, most notably oak (Quercus). European gypsy moth females are winged but flightless, but human vectoring has expanded its range across the entire Northeastern United States to Midwestern and Southeastern states. Because life stages such as egg masses can be easily and inadvertently transported, regulations such as quarantines of articles (e.g. firewood) are frequently imposed by federal and state authorities in infested areas. Stipulations for timber producers, for example, include specific log deck (i.e. a pile of stored logs which are left for later transportation and/or processing) storage requirements. These requirements are designed to prevent infestation of logs from adjacent host vegetation by crawling gypsy moth larvae. However, no studies exist which evaluate dispersal to log decks by late instar gypsy moth larvae, the developmental stage with the greatest potential for telluric movement. Using harmonic radar, we monitored the dispersal capacity of sixth instar female larvae from host vegetation to a mixed hardwood log deck over 168 hours (7days) at a paper mill lumber yard. The pupation location of female gypsy moths strongly influences their geographical oviposition site; therefore, movement from log decks to host vegetation by late instar female larvae may reduce the effectiveness of gypsy moth control policies. Our results will inform the evaluation of the effectiveness of current gypsy moth quarantine regulations.