SYNERGISM OF THE PARASITE, GLYPTAPANTELES FLAVICOXIS AND THEBACTERIAL INSECTICIDE, BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS, FOR CONTROL OF GYPSY MOTH

LOSSES RESULTING FROM GYPSY MOTH DEFOLIATION IN THE N NORTHEAST IN 1981 WERE $764,000,000. (USDA APHIS 1981). THIS PEST IS DISPENSING AT ABOUT 500,000 ACRES PER YEAR DESPITE LARGE SCALE CHEMICAL SPRAYING. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO DETERMINE TH FEASIBILITY OF COMBINING THE RELEASE OF PARASITES, GLYPTAPANTELES FLAVICOXIS AND THE APPLICATION OF THE BIOLOGICAL INSECTICIDE,]I[_ BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS, TOWARDS THE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT OF THE GYPSY MOTH. LABORATORY AND FIELD TESTS WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE DOSE OF B. THURINGIENSIS AND TIMING OF THE PARASITE RELEASE TO MAXIMIZE GYPSY MOTH CONTROL. RESULTS OF RESEARCH WITH A SIMILAR PARASITE AND B. THURINGIENSIS SHOWED RECORD RATES OFPARASITISM, REDUCTION IN GYPSY MOTH LARVAL POPULATIONS, AND FOLIAGE PROTECTION. DESPITE THESE SIGNIFICANT RESULTS THIS COMBINATION HAS NOT BEEN OPERATIONALLY USED BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COST OF THE PARASITE. GLYPTAPANTELES FLAVICOXIS, IMPORTED FROM INDIA IN 1980 BY USDA, IS MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE TO REAR. THE NATIONAL MANAGEMENT GROUP PRODUCED 520,000 AND 720,000 SPECIMENS IN 1983 AND 1984, RESPECTIVELY, FOR SEVERAL STATE AGENCIES. THERELEASE OF THEI PARASITE HAS DEMONSTRATED PROMISING RESULTS.SEVERAL BIOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC ATTRIBUTES OF THIS PARASITE MAKE IT DESIRABLE FOR THIS RESEARCH AND PROBABLE OPERATIONALUSE.