PREDICTING THE FEMALE FLIGHT CAPABILITY OF GYPSY MOTHS BY USING DNA MARKERS

TL;DRAbstract

Gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar L.) from different geographic origins have different biological and behavioral traits that can affect the risk of establishment and spread in new areas. One behavioral trait of major concern is the capacity of females from some geographic origins to fly, thus increasing the potential rate of spread and making detection and delimitation more difficult. Gypsy moths from some areas where females are capable of flight also possess traits that make them more threatening to North American forests than the established Western European strain: the ability of larvae to use hosts that are only marginally acceptable to gypsy moths from other areas, shortened egg chill requirements, and reduced susceptibility to some available biopesticides, all of which could influence the effectiveness of eradication or control programs. The flight-capable females are attracted to lights and will lay their egg masses on nearby vehicles or cargo, giving them an easy pathway around th

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