Abstract
The Nun Moth, Lymantria monacha (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Lymantridae), owes its name to its similarity to another moth, the monk (Panthea coenobita), which also has a black and white monk-cloak coloring. It is the classic insect pest of the spruce forests of Europe. Why this is so can be understood by the following description of an outbreak in (then) East Prussia (now Poland—Russia):
On the 27th of July 1853 the forests were invaded by clouds of moths carried by the south winds from Poland. The swarms spread out and it looked as if the forests had been hit by a snowstorm. The outbreak reached its height in 1855 and the larvae then no more discriminated between conifers and decidious trees. They ate everything and of all ages, even in the afforestations, so at last no green leaf was to be seen. The branches of both pine and spruce were so heavy with the weight of larvae that they drooped towards the ground and the falling of excrement sounded like persistent rain. In June and July 1855 great swarms of parasitic flies and wasps began to show up. They stung the Nun Moth larvae which then became sick and fell from the trees. Lying on the forest floor in a layer more than one foot thick they filled the forests with an abominable stench. When the Nun stopped Ips typographus started.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Altenkirch, W., 1986, Die Nonne (Lymantria monacha L.) in Nordwestdeutschland 1977–80, Anz. Schädlingskde., Pflanzenschutz, Umweltschutz 59: 67–74.
Arnim, Frhr. von, 1936, Zur Kenntnis der Temperaturabhängigkeit der Nonne (Lymantria monacha L.), Z. Angew. Entomol. 22: 533–557.
Bejer, B., 1985, Nun Moth (Lymantria monacha L.) Outbreaks in Denmark and Their Association with Site Factors and Climate, For. Comm. Res. and Devel. Paper 135: 21–26.
Bejer, B., 1986, Outbreaks of Nun Moth (Lymantria monacha L.) in Denmark with remarks on their control, Anz. Schädlingskde., Pflanzenschutz, Umweltschutz 59: 86–89.
Boas, J. E. V., 1899, Nonnen, Tss. Skovv. 11: 73–85.
Boas, J. E. V., 1923, Dansk Forstzoologi, Copenhagen, 1923.
Bogenschütz, H., 1982. Monitoring of moth populations harmful to forests, Z. Pflanzenkrankh. 89: 586–594.
Cameron, E. A., 1979, Disparlure and its role in gypsy moth population manipulation, Bull. Soc. Entomol. Suisse 52: 333–342.
Carter, D. J., 1984, Pest Lepidoptera of Europe, with special reference to the British Isles, Junk, Dordrecht.
Hansen, K., 1984, Discrimination and production of disparlure enantiomers by the gypsy moth and the nun moth, Physiol. Entomol. 9: 9–18.
Jensen, T. S., and Bejer, B., 1985, Registration and control of the Nun Moth (Lymantria monacha L.) in Denmark 1978–84. Da. Skovf. Tss. 70: 182–205.
Jensen, T. S., and Nielsen, B., 1984, Evaluation of pheromone catches of the nun moth, Lymantria monacha L. Effect of habitat heterogenity and weather conditions in the flight period, Z. Angew. Entomol. 98: 399–413.
Klimetzek, D., 1976, Insektenvermehrungen und Sonnenflecken, Z. Angew. Entomol. 95: 226–338.
Kruchev, L. T., and Marchenko, Y., 1981, Against the nun moth, Zashcita Rastenii 11: 35.
Maercks, H., 1935, Der Einfluss der Nahrung auf die Entwicklung der Nonnenraupe, Arb. Physiol. Angew. Entomol. 2: 175–195.
Mors, H., 1942, Der Nonnenfalter während einer Massenvermehrung, in: Die Nonne in Ostpreussen ( G. Wellenstein, ed.), pp. 176–206, Paul Parey, Berlin.
Mors, H., 1942, Aktivität und Frass der Nonnenraupe in den verschiedenen Jahren ihrer Massenvermehrung, in: Die Nonne in Ostpreussen ( G. Wellenstein, ed.), pp. 126–175, Paul Parey, Berlin.
Mors, H., 1942, Untersuchungen zur Nonnenprognose Wellensteins, in: Die Nonne in Ostpreussen ( G. Wellenstein, ed.), pp. 535–553, Paul Parey, Berlin.
Munster-Swendsen, M., 1987, The Effect of Precipitation on Radial Increment in Norway Spruce (Picea abies) and on the Dynamics of a Lepidopteran Pest Insect J. Appl Ecol. 24 (2): 551–561.
Niklas, 0.-F., 1942, Schlupfwespen und Nonne in der Rominter Heide 1933–36, in: Die Nonne in Ostpreussen (G. Wellenstein, ed.,), pp. 389–404, Paul Parey, Berlin.
Sattler, H., 1939, Die Entwicklung der Nonne, Lymantria monacha, in ihrer Abhängigkeit von der Nahrungsqualität, Z. Angew. Entomol. 25: 543–587.
Schonherr, J., and Ketterer, R., 1979, Zur Frage der kombinierten Anwendung von Polyedervirus und Bacillus thuringiensis bei der Nonne, Lymantria monacha L. (Lepidoptera), Z. Pflanzenkrankh. 86: 483–488.
Schwerdtfeger, F., 1941, Prognose und Bekämpfung forstlicher Grozschälinge, Reichnärstand Verlag, Berlin.
Schwerdtfeger, F., 1963, Ökologie der Tiere, Autökologie, Paul Parey, Hamburg.
Skuhravy, V., and Zumr, V., 1978, Zur Migration der Nonnenmännchen (Lymantria monacha L.), untersucht durch Markierung und Fang an Pheromon-Lockfallen, Anz. Schädlingskde., Pflanzenschutz, Umweltschutz 51: 39–42.
Sliwa, E., and Sierpinski, Z., 1986, Gradation der Nonne (Lymantria monacha L.) in Polen von 1978 bis 1984. Anz. Schädlingskde., Pflanzenschutz, Unweltschutz 59: 81–86.
Stark, R. W., 1965, Recent trends in forest entomology, Annu. Rev. Entomol. 10: 303–324.
Steinfatt, 0., 1942, Die Beziehungen zwischen Vogelwelt und Nonne in der Rominter Heide anlässlich der letzten Massenvermehrung, in: Die Nonne in Ostpreussen ( G. Wellenstein, ed.), pp. 405–477, Paul Parey, Berlin.
Thalenhorst, W., 1951, Die Koinzidenz als gradologisches Problem, Z. Angew. Entomol. 32: 1–48.
Vrkoc, L., Skuhravy, V., Hochmut, R., and Zdarek, J., 1981, The disorientation of males with the pheromones of the grey larch moth (Zeiraphera diniana Gn.) and the nun moth (Lymantria monacha L.) in the conditions of Czechoslovakia, Khemoretseptsyia Nasekomykh 6: 130–133.
Wellenstein, G., 1942, Die Nonne in Ostpreussen, Paul Parey, Berlin.
Wellenstein, G., 1942, Zum Massenwechsel der Nonne, in: Die Nonne in Ostpreussen ( G. Wellenstein, ed.), pp. 207–278, Paul Parey, Berlin.
Wellenstein, G., 1973, The Use of Insect Viruses for the Protection of Forests. Eppo Bull. 9: 43–52.
Wellenstein, G., 1978. Lymantria monacha L., in: Die Forstschädlinge Europas (W. Schwenke, ed.), pp. 349–368, Paul Parey, Hamburg.
Wilke, S., 1931, Über die Bedeutung tier-und pflanzengeographischer Betrachtungsweise für die Forstschutz, Arb. Biol. Reichanst. f. L. u. Fw. 18: 583–675.
Willkomm, M., 1864, Die Insectenverheerungen in Ostpreuszen und die durch dieselbe herbeigeführte Umgestaltung der ostpreuszischen Forsten und ihrer Bewirtschaftung. Jahrb. kön. Sächs. Akad. ForstLandwirth z Tharand. 9: 161–215.
Zethner, 0., 1976, Control experiments with the nun moth (Lymantria monacha L.) by nuclear-polyhedrosis virus in Danish coniferous forests, Z. Angew. Entomol. 81: 191–207.
Zwölfer, W., 1934, Studien zur Ökologie, insbesondere zur Bevölkerungslehre der Nonne, Z. Angew. Entomol. 20: 1–50.
Zwöfler, W., 1935, Die Temperaturabhängigkeit der Entwicklung der Nonne (Lymantria monacha L.) und ihre bevölkerungswissenschaftliche Auswertung, Z. Angew. Entomol. 21: 333–384.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1988 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bejer, B. (1988). The Nun Moth in European Spruce Forests. In: Berryman, A.A. (eds) Dynamics of Forest Insect Populations. Population Ecology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0789-9_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0789-9_11
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-0791-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-0789-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive