The outbreaks of the gypsy moth in the forests of National Park Đerdap in the period from 1996 to 2014

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the study of the population levels of the gypsy moth in the forests of National Park Đerdap, over the period 1996-2014. The characteristics of three outbreaks (1996-1997, 2003-2005 and 2009-2014) of the gradogenic character were studied. Since these are forest ecosystems of the natural protected areas in which the special rules and measures aimed at the protection from the adverse effect of the wide range of the biotic and abiotic factors are applied, with the special emphasis on the possible, or impossible, use of pesticides, the paper also analyzes the control measures which were taken, i.e. the reduction of the density of the gypsy moth to the normal population level. In addition, the effect of two species of egg parasitoids, as well as of Entomophaga maimaiga and Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (LdMNPV) - pathogenic worms, on the population level of the gypsy moth in some years of the outbreak was studied.

Stuck in the Caterpillars’ Web: A Half-Century of Biocontrol Research and Application on Gregarious Lepidopteran Pests in Europe

“…Caterpillars of M. neustria were, together with those of T. processionea and many other arboreal Lepidoptera outbreaks, a part of several studies regarding possible nontarget impacts of the fungus Entomophaga maimaiga. The entomopathogen was not found among the studied specimens, and thus showed high specificity for its target-the spongy moth, Lymantria dispar [126,127].…”