The Appalachian Gypsy Moth Integrated Pest Management Project

F. William Ravlin and Andy Roberts
Department of Entomology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061

The Appalachian Gypsy Moth Integrated Pest Management Project or AIPM with conducted from 1987 to 1992. This five-year project was designed to develop and evaluate gypsy moth management technologies that would minimize gypsy moth impacts and slow its spread within the project area. The project area included 12.8 million acres and 28 counties in Virginia and West Virginia.

Accomplishments by Objective

Objective 1. Minimize the impacts of the gypsy moth.

Prenvented significant impacts on 94% of the treated areas.
Developed methods to track population spatial distribution and temporal fluctuations from defoliated areas to areas where gypsy moth was not present.
Quantified the rate of spread.
Significantly reduced low-level isolated populations.

Objective 2. Develop a prototype integrated pest management structure

AIPM showed that an IPM to gypsy moth management must consist of the following components:

Administrative structure that addresses all cooperators and stakeholder.
Goals and objectives agreed upon by all participants.
Standardized data collection and analysis techniques.
Decision-making matrix agreed upon by all participants.
Standardized evaluation techniques.
Evaluation criteria and feedback mechanism.
Information and education programs.

Objective 3. Evaluate new control methods.

Many different control methods were evaluated during the AIPM project. Significant advances were many in:

Pheromone-impregnated flakes and beads for mating disruption
Sterile egg technology
Insecticide application technology

Objective 4. Determine the feasibility of implementing a large-scale coordinated program.

AIPM demonstrated that it is feasible for large-scale, diverse projects involving numerous states, counties, and agencies to be successfully carried out. To be successful AIPM:

Developed an organizational hierarchy.
Established and maintained an interagency network.
Stressed continuing contacts and coordination.

Major Products and Contributions of AIPM

To successfully complete the objectives of the AIPM, a number of significant products were developed by the many cooperators. A partial list of these contributions includes:

Gypcheck (virus) refined and ready for operational use.
Pheromone-impregnated flakes available for use.
Increased dose and decreased dilutions for Bacillus thuringiensis.
Swath Kit developed and is now in operational use.
Sequential egg mass sampling methodsfor forested and urban habitats.
Geographic information system used throughout the project for data management, planning, making sampling and control decisions, and evaluating the AIPM project.
Developed a prototype, PC-based geographic information system for county/local use.
Developed and distributed the "Gypsy Moth in the Classroom".
Improved NEPA guidelines.
Improved aerial application technology
Developed a method to quantify Dimilin residues.
Developed a method to quantify nontarget organism impacts of Dimilin.
Developed a method to quantify nontarget organism impacts of Bacillus thuringiensis.
Developed a method to quantify impacts of gypsy moth defoliation.

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Last modified: Friday, 29-Jun-2001 11:53:12 EDT