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The Gypsy Moth

A Westward Migrant

  • Chapter
Book cover Dynamics of Forest Insect Populations

Part of the book series: Population Ecology ((POPE))

Abstract

The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (Linnaeus), is one of the most serious pests of hardwood forests in temperate regions. A cartographical analysis of gypsy moth35 shows it to occur within the latitudes 20°–60°N, where annual rainfall is 25–100 cm and temperature isotherms are 15–27°C for July and —18–12°C for January. The genus probably originated in East Asia,36 which is where L. dispar exhibits its greatest variability39 (Fig. 1). Proceeding westward from East Asia to western Europe, adult and larval coloration patterns become less variable and females progressively lose the ability to fly.36’65 The range of the gypsy moth was extended through a series of founder events westward into Europe and from France to North America.

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  1. U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Norteastern Forest Experiment Station, Center for Biological Control of Northeastern Forest Insects and Diseases, Hamden, Connecticut, 06514, USA

    Michael E. Montgomery & William E. Wallner

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  1. Michael E. Montgomery
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  2. William E. Wallner
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  1. Department of Entomology, Washington State University, 99164-6432, Pullman, Washington, USA

    Alan A. Berryman

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Montgomery, M.E., Wallner, W.E. (1988). The Gypsy Moth. 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_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0789-9_18

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