The Indiana

STRATEGIC PLAN

for

GYPSY MOTH

management

State of IndianaFrank O’Bannon, Governor

Indiana Department of Natural ResourcesLarry D. Macklin, Director

Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology Division of ForestryU.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, Forest Health Protection

U.S. Department of Agriculture-Animal Plant Health Protection Service, Plant Protection and QuarantinePurdue University Cooperative Extension Service.

Coordinating Committee

Table of Contents

Position Statement ............................................................................................... 1

Purpose .................................................................................................................. 2

I Introduction .................................................................................................. 2A Reason for concern ................................................................................. 2B Nationwide perspective .......................................................................... 2C Indiana concerns ..................................................................................... 2

Program Mission Statement ............................................................................... 3

II Process for cooperation and decision making .......................................... 3A Organize and define roles fo the coordinating committee ................ 3B Develop a strategic plan......................................................................... 3C Communicate the components of the program to the public ............ 3D Organize a data management system ................................................... 3E Develop and evaluate management options ....................................... 3F Make decisions by consensus ................................................................ 3

III Strategies ....................................................................................................... 4A Education ................................................................................................. 4B Eradication .............................................................................................. 4C Slow the spread ....................................................................................... 4D Suppression.............................................................................................. 5E Quarantine and regulation .................................................................... 5F Integrated pest management/Available management practices ....... 5

1 Silviculture .......................................................................................... 52 Biological control ............................................................................... 5

G Research .................................................................................................. 6H No cooperative state/federal management activities.......................... 6

IV Conclusion .................................................................................................... 6

Appendix A Gypsy moth biology ............................................................ 7Appendix B Responsible agencies and their roles ................................ 9

a

Position StatementThe Indiana Cooperative Gypsy Moth Management Program

INTENTThe intent of the Department of Natural Resources is to work in cooperation with the agen-cies responsible for gypsy moth management and the citizens of Indiana to conduct allphases of the Indiana Cooperative Gypsy Moth Management Program.

MISSIONThe responsible agencies will provide direction for regulating and managing gypsy moth inIndiana to protect public health, sustain environmental resources and delay the adverseeconomic and aesthetic effects of gypsy moth.

COOPERATIONThe responsible agencies have worked very closely over the years to detect and eradicateisolated infestations of gypsy moth in the state of Indiana. Through these cooperative effortsIndiana has effectively delayed the establishment of gypsy moth and the damaging effects tothe urban environment, forests and human health.

STRATEGIC PLANThe strategic plan provides a mission statement, describes the organizational structure of theIndiana Cooperative Gypsy Moth Management Program, and gives the strategies availableto pursue the mission of the program. Action plans will be drafted and implemented for eachstrategy in the plan. The strategic plan will be modified and updated as necessary.

APPRECIATIONSpecial thanks is given to the following members of the coordinating committee:

• Cliff Sadof Purdue University Extension Service• Phil Marshall IDNR Division of Forestry

• Jim Carroll and Gary Simon USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine• Dennis Haugen U.S. Forest Service

• Gayle Jansen IDNR Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology• Clarence Dunbar IDNR Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology

Robert D. Waltz, Ph.D., State Entomologist Burnell Fisher, Ph.D., State Forester

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PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT

This document defines the coordination,cooperation and decision making process fornon-regulatory gypsy moth management inIndiana.

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Reason for concernThe gypsy moth is a serious pest of forest

and urban landscapes. It is now establishedin portions of Indiana. From late Aprilthrough May, caterpillars hatch from an eggmass that may contain 500 - 1000 eggs. Thecaterpillars climb to the tops of the treeswhere they feed on foliage or dangle fromsilk strands and drift in the wind to colonizeother trees. The gypsy moth caterpillar caneat the foliage of 500 kinds of trees and otherplants. Oak leaves are their preferred food.Over the next month the caterpillars candefoliate entire trees and forests (for moreinformation on biology and habits see ap-pendix A).

Although most plants defoliated by caterpil-lars eventually produce more leaves, the reduc-tion of reserve energy adds stress to plants.Continued annual defoliation of plants alreadyunder stressful conditions may kill them in 2 - 4years. In the urban landscape removal of deadlimbs and trees can have a significant economiceffect on homeowners and municipalities. Inaddition, caterpillar hairs may become skin andrespiratory irritants. Caterpillars and theirdroppings are a nuisance in urban and recre-ational areas. Tree mortality in forested areascan change tree species composition and mayhave direct or indirect effects on many otherspecies in the forest ecosystem. Tree mortalitycan result in significant loss of timber value toforest owners.

Strategic Plan for Management of Gypsy Moth inIndiana

B. Nationwide perspectiveGypsy moth was brought from Europe to

Massachusetts in 1869. It now occupies thenortheastern United States, a portion ofEastern Ohio and Michigan, parts of easternWisconsin and northern Indiana. Gypsymoth movement occurs naturally along thefront of the generally infested area. The rateof natural movement is approximately 13miles a year. Commonly, the gypsy defoliates3 million acres of forest a year in the UnitedStates; the approximate equivalent to 70% ofIndiana’s forested acreage. During 1981, inthe United States, 13 million acres of for-ested land were defoliated. Urban trees,already under considerable stress, will bemost affected by gypsy moth feeding dam-age.

C. Indiana concernsThere are approximately 4.4 million acres

of forested land in Indiana. About 3.25million acres are moderately and highlysusceptible to gypsy moth damage. Oaks arethe prefered host of gypsy moth. WithinIndiana’s forests, oaks comprise 40% of thetrees. Another 40% of the trees are moder-ately to highly preferred hosts for gypsymoth. Thus, 80% of Indiana’s forest trees aresusceptible to gypsy moth damage. Trees inthe urban environment are at a similar riskto gypsy moth defoliation. Detection ofpopulations in other areas of the state isattributed to human activities such as com-merce and residential movement from in-fested areas. Indiana has had a program todetect and eradicate artificial introductionsof gypsy moth since 1973. The program hasslowed the spread of gypsy moth and de-layed damage and management costs associ-ated with infestation of new areas. Slowingthe spread has also allowed time to developmore environmentally safe and sustainablemethods of control.

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PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENTThe program cooperators will provide direc-tion for regulating and managing gypsy mothin Indiana to protect public health, sustainenvironmental resources and delay the eco-nomic and aesthetic effects of gypsy moth.

II. PROCESS FOR COOPERATION ANDDECISION MAKING

A. Organize a gypsy moth coordinatingcommittee and define the roles andresponsibilities of the committee.

The Gypsy Moth coordinating committeeincludes agencies that have primary workresponsibilities and legal mandates to man-age gypsy moth in Indiana (Appendix B).The coordinating committee will have theprimary responsibility of defining the strate-gies and implementing them. The committeewill coordinate work activities in an efficient,economically and environmentally sensiblemanner, to incorporate the principles of theSlow the Spread program. Development andimplementation of the strategic plan willdirect the coordination of work activities andresponsibilities. Work activities developedby the agencies will be responsive to thecitizens of the state and to the legal require-ments of state and federal law.

B. Develop a Strategic Plan.This strategic plan outlines the initial

program activities. It is a document that willrespond to current issues and improvementsin gypsy moth management tactics. Strategiesare the organizational steps used to adminis-ter gypsy moth management activities. Theyare listed and defined in section III.

The cooperators will write project plansfrom the strategies that will define and selectmanagement options to fulfill the strategyobjectives.

Annual implementation plans may bewritten for each project plan. They defineactivities annually and direct implementationto persons or agencies responsible for pro-gram management.

In the development of a strategic plan the

coordinating committee will lead and de-velop strategies and project plans. Theresponsible agencies will perform the actionsidentified in the annual implementationplan.

C. Communicate the components of theprogram to the public.

Efficient communication will allow for thetimely implementation of programs, publicunderstanding of the gypsy moth manage-ment options and how the program will beimplemented. The public will be encouragedto participate in program activities. Methodswill be developed for soliciting, receiving andresponding to concerns and questions re-garding the management program.

D. Organize a data management system.Organization of data will allow the coordi-

nating committee to make effective decisionsregarding procedures. Information must beeasily accessible and comprehensive. Infor-mation will be shared by the coordinatingcommittee, the responsible agencies andrepresentatives of affected citizens.

E. Develop and evaluate managementoptions.

The committee will solicit informationfrom the public and develop alternativemanagement options. The alternatives will beregularly reviewed to evaluate their ability tomeet strategic objectives. How they affectthe management of gypsy moth. An analysisof the alternatives will consider the potentialbiological, social and economic effects fromgypsy moth.

F. Make decisions by consensus among thecoordinating committee.

The coordinating committee has the re-sponsibility to solicit information fromvarious agencies and the public to accumu-late the biological data and evaluate thealternatives. The process provides the com-mittee with the appropriate information tomake informed and ecologically sensibledecisions. The cooperators understand that if

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consensus can not be achieved, the agencywith legal authority has the responsibility tomake the final decision. However, eachagency has the right to decide whether toinvest the resources necessary to implementits responsibilities under an implementationplan.

III. STRATEGIES

A. EducationIndiana citizens and landowners affected

by the gypsy moth must be given reliableinformation so that they may know what toexpect from a gypsy moth infestation and beable to participate in program activities.Education will be a key component in theimplementation of all strategies and manage-ment practices.

We will develop and promote materials andnetworks to inform and educate the publicabout the gypsy moth threat, the gypsy mothprogram and methods for management.

Educational objectives.• Develop and distribute selected materials

that will provide awareness of the gypsymoth.

• Provide information on the state’s gypsymoth management strategies and themission of the program.

• Encourage public participation whenmaking gypsy moth management deci-sions.

• Develop educational programs that alerturban and rural citizens to the threat ofisolated infestations and that can identifywhen and where gypsy moths are likely tobe a problem.

• Furnish information on the economic andenvironmental consequences of gypsymoth infestations and the benefits andcosts of management strategies.

• Provide materials for resource managerswho are situated at recreational sites,timber management sites, nursery opera-tions, and Christmas tree plantations on

detection methods and managementoptions.

• Prepare materials for use in classrooms atall levels to educate youth and theirfamilies.

B. EradicationEradication methods are used to eliminate

isolated infestations of the gypsy moth thatare detected in the non-infested area. Eradi-cation is used to delay establishment ofgypsy moth within the non-infested area.

We will delay the establishment of gypsymoth in Indiana by eradicating artificialinfestations in the non-infested area.

Eradication objectives include• Detect small, isolated populations of

gypsy moth.• Provide information to the public on

options and alternatives available forgypsy moth management.

• Select effective methods of eradicationafter consideration of biological, eco-nomic and social values.

C. Slow the SpreadThe Slow the Spread Program will slow the

rate of gypsy moth and delay the impactsand costs associated with gypsy moth out-breaks. It entails intensively surveying thetransition area and aggressively treatingpockets of low level gypsy moth populationsto keep them from increasing rapidly.

We will use available methods to treat smallpockets of infestations located immediatelyahead of the leading edge of the gypsy mothpopulation.

Slow the Spread objectives include• Locate infestations within the transition

area.• Define the core area of infestations.• Inform the public of the alternatives

available for treatment.• Select the most effective method to re-

duce the gypsy moth population.

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D. SuppressionGypsy moth suppression programs will be

considered when populations rise and pre-vention of severe defoliation becomes theprimary goal. The objective is to reduce highpopulations of gypsy moth caterpillars, thusminimizing heavy defoliation. Suppressiondoes not eliminate the gypsy moth from thegenerally infested area, but reduces damagefrom gypsy moth.

We will cooperate with county and localgovernment in Indiana to treat forested com-munities or valuable forests to minimize theimpact caused by destructive populations ofgypsy moth.

Suppression objectives include:• Conduct egg mass and defoliation surveys

to determine the extent and severity ofgypsy moth infestations.

• Work with county agencies to developvoluntary guidelines for participating in acooperative suppression program.

• Assess the need and priorities for treat-ment.

• Assess the results of a suppression action.• Prepare sound environmental documents.

E. Quarantine and RegulationQuarantine programs are developed to

inhibit the artificial transport of gypsy mothsfrom known infested areas to non-infestedareas. Indiana Natural Resources Commis-sion, IDNR Division of Entomology andPlant Pathology and the USDA Animal andPlant Health Inspection Service have theauthority under federal and state law todeclare a gypsy moth quarantine. The needfor a quarantine is dependent upon scientificevidence and information provided by pro-gram cooperators.

We will implement quarantine and regulatoryactions to limit the artificial spread of gypsymoth into non-infested areas of Indiana andto reduce the risk of movement to non-in-fested states.

Quarantine and Regulation objectives• Develop plans and implement regulations

for moving materials from areas generallyinfested by the gypsy moth.

• Inspect shipments from generally infestedareas that have a high risk of containinggypsy moth life stages, such as nurserystock, logs, and outdoor household ar-ticles.

F. Integrated Pest ManagementWhen eradication programs and Slow The

Spread are no longer feasible in an area, thearea will be declared generally infested andgypsy moth populations will be managedthrough a program of Integrated Pest Man-agement (IPM). This strategy relies on acombination of methods to reduce problemsassociated with gypsy moth.

Where gypsy moth becomes established wewill implement management practices thatprovide long term management of gypsymoth.

Available management practices1. Silviculture.

Silviculture is the method of selectivelyharvesting trees, by age, species and value, toreduce the economic loss caused by gypsymoth. In urban landscapes silviculture is theremoval of dead trees and replacement withtrees less susceptible to gypsy moth.

Silviculture control methods will be recom-mended to reduce the hazard of tree mortal-ity in forests stands defoliated by gypsymoth. We will promote silviculture methodsto reduce the chance of tree mortality inforests and urban landscapes defoliated bygypsy moth.• Identify stands that are most likely to be

severely damaged by gypsy moth based onIndiana habitat types.

• Provide information for the application ofappropriate siliviculture guidelines.

2. Biological ControlBiological control is the tactic of using

living organisms to manage pest populations.

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We will develop and apply biological controlmethods to provide a safe and economicalmeans of gypsy moth control.

Biological control objectives• Support the funding and programs neces-

sary to implement effective biologicalcontrol programs.

• Develop baseline survey to determinecurrent habitat and organisms present thatmay be affected by biological controlagents.

• Determine the impacts of biologicalcontrol releases.

• Cooperate with research organizations toidentify biological control agents that haveproven effective and determine whethertheir introduction into Indiana wouldproduce the desired effect

• Develop appropriate monitoring andevaluation methods to determine effec-tiveness of introduced organisms.

G. ResearchResearch of new management techniques

may provide additional management alter-natives for Indiana citizens and landowners.

We will encourage research of gypsy mothmanagement options and provide the bestinformation on gypsy moth populations,control alternatives, and forest impacts toIndiana resource managers.

• Support research into management tech-niques that are economically and ecologi-cally effective.

• Share information on new research be-tween agencies and the public.

• Support a central research center tomaintain and update research data.

H. Chemical ControlChemical control is the use of approved

chemical compounds to kill insects. Thesecompounds, applied to insects, are generallycalled insecticides.

We will develop methods for the selection anduse of insecticides to manage gypsy mothpopulations.

• Evaluate the gypsy moth population,habitat, and host availability before rec-ommending insecticide use.

• Recommend products that are registeredwith the Office of the State Chemist.

• Recommend products that are safe tohumans and the environment.

I. InterventionIn some areas where gypsy moth is intro-

duced or becomes established no interven-tion of gypsy moth populations may be theonly option available.

We will distribute information on the conse-quences of no intervention and cooperatewith local government to monitor pest activi-ties and respond to concerns.

No management objectives include• Provide general program information.• Provide an avenue to receive public

comment on infestations.

IV. CONCLUSIONGypsy moth will eventually become estab-

lished in Indiana. It will effect the economyand well being of rural and urban citizens.Indiana is preparing for an increase in gypsymoth populations with strategies that willprovide the citizens of Indiana an under-standing of what gypsy moth is, the damage itcauses and how to minimize its impact ontheir health and environment.

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Appendix A

Gypsy Moth Biology

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The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) isone of the most serious defoliators of hard-wood forests and urban landscapes in theUnited States. The larva of this insect, calleda caterpillar, eats the foliage of approxi-mately 500 host plants, but prefers oak,apple, willow and to a lesser extent hickoryand maple. The gypsy moth has four develop-mental life stages: The egg, larva (caterpillar),pupa and adult. The adults mate in latesummer. After mating, the female moths layeggs in sheltered areas. Egg masses containbetween 500-1000 eggs. Each female coversthe eggs with her body hair. The hairs givethe egg mass a fuzzy, tan appearance andprovide additional protection for the winter.The egg masses can be found all winter longand don’t hatch until spring.

In Indiana the caterpillars hatch from theeggs from the middle of April and may bepresent until the 1st week of June. As cater-pillars grow, they molt or shed their skin.Each molt is called an instar. Male caterpil-lars have 5 instars and female caterpillarshave 6 instars. Older caterpillars are approxi-mately 2 inches long, very hairy and have 5pairs of blue dots followed by 6 pairs of reddots along the back. Young larvae can beseen feeding on foliage during the day. Olderlarvae feed at night and may not be seen.Caterpillars will feed 24 hours a day prior topupation.

The pupa is the developmental state inwhich the caterpillar changes to an adult.Pupae are only present from June to midJuly. They are dark brown shell-like cases,which are about 2 inches long and sparselycovered with hairs.

Adults emerge from the pupal cases in Julyand August. Males emerge first. Males aresmaller than the female, dark brown andhave feathery antennae. Females emergeafter the males. They have creamy whitewings, a tan body and cannot fly. Both havedistinct markings on their wings: an invertedV-shape that points to a dot. The femaleproduces a pheromone that attracts the malemoth to her, they mate and the female laysan egg mass. The egg mass overwinters and

the cycle begins again.Only the caterpillars defoliate plants.

Consecutive years of defoliation mayweaken or kill gypsy moth hosts.

PREFERRED LARVAL FOOD PLANTSAll oaks Sweet gum

Apple HawthornBasswood Poplar

Gray birch BeechRiver birch Willow

LESS DESIRED BUT STILL ATTACKEDOther birches Elm

Cherry SassafrasHemlock Spruce

Cottonwood Pine

PLANTS GYPSY MOTH LARVAE AVOIDArborvitae Flowering dogwood

Ash American HollyBalsam fir LocustButternut Sycamore

Black walnut Tulip treeCatalpa Rhododendron

Red cedar

Caterpillars will feed on almost any avail-able vegetation when populations are high.

All gypsy moth life stages are transported,but egg masses pose the greatest threat ofestablishing a population in Indiana. Larvaethat blow from infested areas pose a threatof small scattered populations becomingestablished in Indiana.

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Appendix B

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Responsible Agencies&

Their Roles

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1. Indiana Department of Natural Resources -Division of Entomology and Plant PathologyThe Division of Entomology and Plant

Pathology is responsible for the detection ofexotic plant pests that are detrimental toIndiana’s natural and urban plant resources.Upon detection of gypsy moth the Divisionwill assess the damaging potential, eradicateartificial infestations, provide technical adviceto cooperating agencies, determine reason-able quarantine and regulatory actions, notifythe public of options available for regulatorycompliance and provide information onprogram activities.

2. Indiana Department of Natural Resources- The Division of ForestryThe Division of Forestry is responsible for

forest health management of Indiana’s forestresources both rural and urban and is directlyresponsible for forest health management onstate owned forests. The division assists withsurvey coordination and provides assistancein the elimination of artificial introductionsof gypsy moth. They provide support in theform of funding for survey, eradication, SlowThe Spread and suppression projects. Educa-tion and technical advice are provided toforesters and other resource professionals forpest management on Indiana forested lands.

3. Cooperative Extension ServiceThis service will be responsible for provid-

ing resource material about gypsy moth tothe public and to advise them about waysthat they can cope with problems associatedwith gypsy moth infestations. Indiana’sAgricultural Research Program will developresearch specific to the gypsy moth situationin Indiana. Technical advice on cultural andbiological control will be identified, devel-oped and distributed to cooperators.

4. USDA - Animal & Plant Health InspectionService (APHIS)Within non-infested areas and the transi-

tion zone APHIS provides financial assis-

tance to the lead agency for survey operation.APHIS will support regulatory activities toprevent the spread of gypsy moth fromgenerally infested areas to non-infested areas.APHIS will provide funding for non-federalland or within the transition zone as deter-mined by survey evaluations.

5. United States Forest Service (USFS)This service provides technical assistance to

state agencies on gypsy moth management.The USFS provides financial assistance tothe lead agency for eradication effortsgreater than 640 acres, Slow The Spreadprojects, and suppression of gypsy moth onnon-federal lands. They coordinate and fundprogram activities on federal land. The USFSserves as the lead agency in preparing theGypsy Moth Programmatic NEPA document(Environmental Impact Statement).

6. Indiana Department of EnvironmentalManagementThis department will provide monitoring of

environmental affects of program activitiesand provide technical assistance on environ-mental quality issues.

7.Indiana State Department of HealthThis department responds to public health

effects of gypsy moth and program activities.It answers public health questions concerninggypsy moth and program activities.

8. Office of the Indiana State ChemistThis office is responsible for the registra-

tion of products used in program activities,applicator certification and licensing, investi-gations of misuse and pesticide use com-plaints.

9. Department of AgricultureThis department assists affected commerce

by providing information on program activi-ties, available regulatory initiatives andprogram strategies. It will provide informa-tion to the cooperating agencies on com-merce affected by gypsy moth infestations.

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ADDRESSES

Indiana Department of Natural ResourcesDivision of Entomology and Plant Pathology402 W. Washington St., Room W290Indianapolis, IN 46204(317) 232-4120

Indiana Department of Natural ResourcesDivision of Forestry402 W. Washington St., Room W299Indianapolis, IN 46204

Department of EntomologyExtension Entomologist1158 Smith HallWest Lafayette, IN 47907-1158

United States Forest ServiceForest Health Protection1992 Folwell AvenueSt. Paul, MN 55108

USDA—Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)Plant Protection and Quarantine120 Professional Court, Suite DLafayette, IN 47905

Indiana State Department of Health2 North Meridian Street, 5FLIndianapolis, IN 46204

Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture150 West Market Street, Room 414Indianapolis, IN 46204

Notes

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Notes

DNRIndiana Departmentof Natural Resources