Abstract
Winter moth, Operophtera brumata L. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), has been defoliating hardwood trees in eastern Massachusetts since the 1990s. Native to Europe, winter moth has also been detected in Rhode Island, Connecticut, eastern Long Island (NY), New Hampshire, and Maine. Individual tree impacts of winter moth defoliation in New England are currently unknown. Using dendroecological techniques, this study related annual radial growth of individual host (Quercus spp. and Acer spp.) trees to detailed defoliation estimates. Winter moth defoliation was associated with up to a 47% reduction in annual radial growth of Quercus trees. Latewood production of Quercus was reduced by up to 67% in the same year as defoliation, while earlywood production was reduced by up to 24% in the year following defoliation. Winter moth defoliation was not a strong predictor of radial growth in Acer species. This study is the first to document impacts of novel invasions of winter moth into New England.
Highlights
Winter moth, Operophtera brumata L. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), has been responsible for widespread defoliation of trees (e.g., 36,000 ha in 2011) in Massachusetts for over a decade [1]
Annual levels of winter moth defoliation were quantified from 2004–2010 on seven long-term winter moth study trees that spanned the area infested by winter moth in eastern Massachusetts and included Q. rubra, Q. velutina L., A. rubrum, and
Our study focused on individual trees growing in the open or in forest edges, our results may provide an estimate on the impact of winter moth defoliation on forest trees
Summary
Operophtera brumata L. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), has been responsible for widespread defoliation of trees (e.g., 36,000 ha in 2011) in Massachusetts for over a decade [1]. Native to Europe, winter moth was identified in southeastern Massachusetts in 2003 and is believed to have been responsible for heavy defoliation since the 1990s [2]. The biological extent of winter moth in New England is comparable to that of the burgeoning gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L. In portions of its range in New England where it is well-established, winter moth may dominate the spring defoliator guild that includes fall cankerworm, Alsophila pometaria Harris (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), Bruce spanworm, O. bruceata Hulst (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria Hübner (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), and gypsy moth. While recently discovered in Massachusetts, previous invasions of winter moth have occurred in North America, with introductions in Nova Scotia in the early 1930s [8] and the Pacific Northwest in the 1950s [9,10]
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