ASIAN GYPSY MOTH 



Thomas ] . Durkis 



Summary of#l January J 992 Gypsey 

 Moth Exotica 



JUST when you think your trees may 

 have survived the repeated onslaught 

 ot the gypsy moth, when you're about 

 to sit back and relax a little, you 

 learn that a new strain ot gypsy moth 

 is threatening to establish itself here 

 in the U.S. Until recently gypsy 

 moth in New Hampshire and 

 throughout the country has been of 

 European origin. Our North Ameri- 

 can g>'psy moth (NAGM) has, to 

 date, remained genetically static and 

 is still indistinguishable from those 

 found in Europe. Now we learn that 

 there is an Asian strain of gypsy 

 moth (AGM) that, if established 

 here in the U.S., could pose a whole 

 new series of problems for our trees. 



Asian gypsy moth egg masses 

 have been detected on Russian 

 vessels used for loading Canadian 

 grain since as far back as 1981. 

 Additional interceptions were in 

 1989 and in every subsequent year 

 thereafter. However, since 1989 the 

 number of egg mass interceptions has 

 risen dramatically. Finally, in the 

 spring o{ 199 1 , Asian gypsy moth 

 larvae were found for the first time 

 actually hatching on a Russian ship 

 anchored in Vancouver, a British 

 Columbia port. 



Currently, mitochondrial DNA 

 sequencing is being used to distin- 

 guish the Asian from the North 

 American strain of gypsy moth. 

 There is a long list of differences 

 between the habits and activities oi 

 each strain. Howe\-er. the most 



« 



"...the female 



Asian gypsv moth flies 



whereas the 



North American moth doesn't. 



The Asian female moth 



is also 



attracted to lights. 



Both of these differences 



could grealv influence 



the speed and extent 



of its dispersal 



notable one is that the femak Asian 

 gypsy moth flies, whereas the North 

 American female moth doesn't. The 

 Asian female moth is also attracted 

 to lights. Both of these differences 

 could greatly influence the speed and 

 extent ot its dispersal In addition, 



there are differences in host tree 

 preferences, in larval feeding period 

 activities, and in other areas as well. 



It isn't surprising that there are 

 more questions than answers regard- 

 ing this Asian pest. Questions like, 

 are the Asian and North American 

 strains sexually compatible and if 

 they are, what are the morphological 

 and behavioral characteristics that 

 may develop? More importantly, 

 what are the social and economic 

 impacts of this pest and its potential 

 genetic variations on our forests and 

 environment? 



To date, male Asian gypsy moths 

 have already been found in Vancouv- 

 er, British Columbia and in Alberta, 

 Canada. Small numbers of male 

 moths have also been recovered in 

 Washington and Oregon. With 

 Asian trade increasing, we can 

 expect Asian gypsy moth 

 interceptions to follow suit. The 

 USDA-APHIS and Agriculture 

 Canada have their work cut out for 

 them in establishing and adopting 

 plans to ensure that the U.S. and 

 Canada remain free from this pest. ^ 



Thomas]. Durkis is Entcmobgist 

 with the New Hampshire Department 

 of Agriculture . For information, 

 call Tom at (603) 271-2561 



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