<i>Lymantria dispar</i> (L.) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae): Current Status of Biology, Ecology, and Management in Europe with Notes from North America
Maria C. Boukouvala,
Nickolas G. Kavallieratos,
Anna Skourti,
Xavier Pons,
Carmen López Alonso,
Matilde Eizaguirre,
Enrique Benavent Fernandez,
Elena Domínguez Solera,
Sergio Fita,
Tanja Bohinc,
Stanislav Trdan,
Paraskevi Agrafioti,
Christos G. Athanassiou
Affiliations
Maria C. Boukouvala
Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece
Nickolas G. Kavallieratos
Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece
Anna Skourti
Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece
Xavier Pons
Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, Agrotecnio Centre, Universitat de Lleida, Av Rovira Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain
Carmen López Alonso
Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, Agrotecnio Centre, Universitat de Lleida, Av Rovira Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain
Matilde Eizaguirre
Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, Agrotecnio Centre, Universitat de Lleida, Av Rovira Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain
Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Stanislav Trdan
Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Paraskevi Agrafioti
Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou Str., 38446 Nea Ionia, Greece
Christos G. Athanassiou
Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou Str., 38446 Nea Ionia, Greece
The European Spongy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), is an abundant species found in oak woods in Central and Southern Europe, the Near East, and North Africa and is an important economic pest. It is a voracious eater and can completely defoliate entire trees; repeated severe defoliation can add to other stresses, such as weather extremes or human activities. Lymantria dispar is most destructive in its larval stage (caterpillars), stripping away foliage from a broad variety of trees (>500 species). Caterpillar infestation is an underestimated problem; medical literature reports that established populations of caterpillars may cause health problems to people and animals. Inflammatory reactions may occur in most individuals after exposure to setae, independent of previous exposure. Currently, chemical and mechanical methods, natural predators, and silvicultural practices are included for the control of this species. Various insecticides have been used for its control, often through aerial sprayings, which negatively affect biodiversity, frequently fail, and are inappropriate for urban/recreational areas. However, bioinsecticides based on various microorganisms (e.g., entomopathogenic viruses, bacteria, and fungi) as well as technologies such as mating disruption using sex pheromone traps have replaced insecticides for the management of L. dispar.
