1. Winter mortality of gypsy moth (lepidoptera: lymantriidae) eggs in Michigan
- Author
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McCullough, D., Andresen, J., Smitley, D., Priest, R., and Mech, R.
- Subjects
ECOLOGY ,ENTOMOLOGY ,WINTER - Abstract
The northern lower peninsula of Michigan was heavily defoliated by gypsy moth in 1991 and 1992 despite being in a climate considered marginal for gypsy moth. We investigated the cold events on egg hatch by collecting egg masses from counties in Michigan with populations in 1994 and 1996, the 2 coldest winters in the past 7 yr. Egg hatch from cm or more above ground was not as complete as egg hatch from masses close to regions with the coldest temperatures. More successful egg hatch close to the ground explained by snow cover. In 3 separate data sets, egg hatch was negatively correlated days in January and February when the temperature dropped below -26 deg. C (r
2 =0.31, 0.62, and 0.54). The heaviest defoliation in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan following a mild winter when temperatures dropped below -26 deg. C fewer than 4 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...- Published
- 1998