Hydrocarbons were extracted from the surface of the cuticle and from the hemolymph of adult female gypsy moths. GC and GC/MS analysis indicated that the cuticular hydrocarbons with chain lengths >21 carbons were the same as those found in the hemolymph. These consisted of mostly saturated straight chain hydrocarbons with heptacosane the major component. Methyl branched hydrocarbons were also id...

This study provides the first genetic characterization of the gypsy moth from China (Lymantriadispar), one of the most recognized pests of forests and ornamental trees in the world. We assessed genetic diversity and structure in eight geographic populations of gypsy moths from China using five polymorphic Inter simple sequence repeat markers, which produced reproducible banding patterns. We obs...

Lyme disease and gypsy moth outbreaks plague many temperate oak forests. Over the past decade, we have developed models and hypotheses designed to allow us to predict irruptions of both gypsy moths and the tick vector of Lyme disease. We have documented a web of connections involving mast production by oak trees, population responses by white-footed mice, habitat selection by white-tailed deer,...

The ecosystem consequences of intraspecific genetic variation is an emerging field of research that strengthens the link between population and ecosystem ecology. Despite recent advances, it remains unclear under what conditions (abiotic and biotic) plant genetic variation will be important to belowground processes. Forest canopy herbivores can have large influences on soil processes by alterin...