Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T15:55:40.834Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

PARASITOIDS AND PREDATORS OF THE DOUGLAS-FIR TUSSOCK MOTH, ORGYIA PSEUDOTSUGATA (LEPIDOPTERA: LYMANTRIDAE), IN LOW TO MODERATE POPULATIONS IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

D. L. Dahlsten ,
R. F. Luck ,
E. I. Schlinger ,
J. M. Wenz  and
W. A. Copper
D. L. Dahlsten
Affiliation:
Division of Biological Control, University of California, Berkeley
R. F. Luck
Affiliation:
Division of Biological Control, University of California, Berkeley
E. I. Schlinger
Affiliation:
Division of Biological Control, University of California, Berkeley
J. M. Wenz
Affiliation:
Division of Biological Control, University of California, Berkeley
W. A. Copper
Affiliation:
Division of Biological Control, University of California, Berkeley
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata (McDunnough), populations were studied on white fir at four areas in central Sierra Nevada mountains of California during 1971–73. Life tables were constructed for four populations in El Dorado County. The number of eggs per egg mass decreased and the percentage eggs parasitized doubled with declining moth populations. Hymenopterous parasitoids were collected from all immature stages of the moth: one egg parasitoid, Telenomus californicus Ashmead, six species of larval parasitoids, principally, Hyposoter sp., and 13 species of larval–pupal parasitoids. Tachinids were predominant and accounted for 73% of the parasitoidism of the cocoons in 1971. The apparent mortality of female pupae due to the parasitoid complex was greater than 97% in 1971 and 75% in 1972. One population in Placer County collapsed in 1971 apparently due to a combination of heat exhaustion and low levels of virus infection. Other defoliators, spiders, and several predatory insect species were collected from the foliage samples simultaneously with the tussock moth during larval sampling. Twelve species of "free living" spiders which could be capable of preying on the defoliator complex of white fir were collected. Parasitoids and predators appear to be potentially important biotic factors at low to moderate host population levels. This is the first recorded case where an agent other than the nucleopolyhedrosis virus has been responsible for the collapse of a Douglas-fir tussock moth population.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 109 , Issue 5 , May 1977 , pp. 727 - 746
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1977

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anonymous. 1963. Forest pest conditions in California—1963. Calif. Forest Pest Action Council. 20 pp.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1965. Forest pest conditions in California—1964. Calif Forest Pest Action Council. 20 pp.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1966. Forest pest conditions in California—1965. Calif. Forest Pest Action Council. 20 pp.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1971. Forest pest conditions in California—1970. Calif. Forest Pest Action Council. 25 pp.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1972. Forest pest conditions in California—1971. Calif. Forest Pest Action Council. 19 pp.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1973. Forest pest conditions in California—1972. Calif. Forest Pest Action Council. 18 pp.Google Scholar
Balch, R. E. 1932. The fir tussock moth (Hemerocampa pseudotsugata McD.). J. econ. Ent. 25: 1143–1148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burks, B. D. 1968. New North America species of Ceratosmicra Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae). Proc. ent. Soc. Wash. 70(2): 170–174.Google Scholar
Campbell, R. W. 1963. Some ichneumonid-sarcophagid interactions in the gypsy moth Porthetria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). Can. Ent. 95: 337–345.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dahlsten, D. L., Cameron, E. A., and Copper, W. A.. 1970. Distribution and parasitization of cocoons of the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Hemerocampa pseudotsugata (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), in an isolated infestation. Can. Ent. 102(2): 175–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dahlsten, D. L. and Thomas, G. M.. 1969. A nucleopolyhedrosis virus in populations of the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Hemerocampa pseudotsugata, in California. J. invert. Path. 13: 264–271.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dodge, H. R. 1956. Tussock moth threaten timber. West. Conserv. J. (Jan., Feb.). 2 pp.Google Scholar
Fedde, G. F., Morris, C. L., and Drooz, A. T.. 1973. Delayed parasitism of fall cankerworm eggs in Virginia. Environ. Ent. 2(6): 1123–1125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grissell, E. E. 1973. New species of North American Torymidae. Pan-Pacif. Ent. 49(3): 232–239.Google Scholar
Harcourt, D. G. 1969. The development and use of life tables in the study of natural populations. A. Rev. Ent. 14: 175–196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harwood, R. F. 1975. Economics, aesthetics, environment, and entomologists: the tussock moth dilemma. Environ. Ent. 4(2): 171–174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krombein, K. V. 1958. Hymenoptera of America north of Mexico. Synoptic catalog. Agriculture Monogr. 2 (Suppl. I). U.S. Govt. Print. Off. 305 pp.Google Scholar
Krombein, K. V. and Burks, B. D.. 1967. Hymenoptera of America north of Mexico. Synoptic catalog. Agriculture Monogr. 2 (Suppl. 2). U.S. Govt. Print. Off. 584 pp.Google Scholar
Mason, R. R. 1970. Development of sampling methods for the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Hemerocampa pseudotsugata (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). Can. Ent. 102(7): 836–845.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mason, R. R. 1974. Population change in an outbreak of the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) in central Arizona. Can. Ent. 106(11): 1171–1174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mason, R. R. 1976. Life tables for a declining population of the Douglas-fir tussock moth in northeastern Oregon. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 69(5): 948–958.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mason, R. R. and Thompson, C. G.. 1971. Collapse of an outbreak population of the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Hemerocampa pseudotsugata (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). Pacific N.W. Forest and Range Exp. Sta., USDA For. Serv. Res. Note PNW-139. 10 pp.Google Scholar
Mathers, W. G. 1949. Douglas-fir tussock moth. Can. Dep. Agric., For. Insect Invest. Bi-mon. Prog. Rep. 5(1): 4.Google Scholar
Muesebeck, C. F. W., Krombein, K. V., and Townes, H. K.. 1951. Hymenoptera of America north of Mexico. Synoptic catalog. Agriculture Monogr. 2. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. 1420 pp.Google Scholar
Richards, O. W. and Waloff, N.. 1961. A study of a natural population of Phytodecta olivacea (Forster) (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea). Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. Lond. B244: 205–257.Google Scholar
Richards, O. W., Waloff, N., and Spadbury, J. P.. 1960. The measurement of mortality in an insect population in which recruitment and mortality widely overlap. Oikos 11: 306–310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Southwood, T. R. E. 1966. Ecological methods. Methuen, London. 391 pp.Google Scholar
Stephen, F. M. 1973. Ceratosmirca campoplegicis Burks, a hyperparasite of Perilitus coccinellae (Shrank) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae, Braconidae). Pan-Pacif. Ent. 49(4): 395.Google Scholar
Sugden, B. A. 1957. Brief history of outbreaks of the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Hemerocampa pseudotsugata McD., in British Columbia. Proc. ent. Soc. Br. Columb. 54: 37–39.Google Scholar
Thompson, W. R. 1946. A catalogue of the parasites and predators of insect pests, Sec. 1, Pt. 7 pp. 259–385. Imperial Agric. Bur. Insti. Ent., Parasite Serv. Belleville, Ont., Canada.Google Scholar
Townes, H. K. 1945. A catalogue and reclassification of the nearctic Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera). Mem. Am. ent. Soc. 11, pt. II. pp. 480–925.Google Scholar
Townes, H. and Townes, M.. 1960. Ichneumon-flies of America north of Mexico: subfamilies Ephialtinae, Xoridinae, Acaenitinae. Bull. U.S. natn. Mus. 216, pt. 2. 676 pp.Google Scholar
Varley, G. C., Gradwell, G. R., and Hassell, M. P.. 1974. Insect population ecology. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley. 212 pp.Google Scholar
Wickman, B. E., Mason, R. R., and Thompson, C. G.. 1973. Major outbreaks of the Douglas-fir tussock moth in Oregon and California. Pacific N. W. Forest & Range Exp. Sta. USDA For. Serv. Gen. tech. Rep. PNW-5. 18 pp.Google Scholar
Wickman, B. E., Trostle, G. C., and Buffam, P. E.. 1971. Douglas-fir tussock moth. USDA Forest Serv. Forest Pest Leafl. 6 pp.Google Scholar