Effect of Burlap Bands on Between-tree Movement of Late-instar Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

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Abstract
Mark/recapture studies indicated that the presence of burlap bands on tree stems decreased the incidence of between-tree movement by late-instar gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.). Furthermore, there were consistently more larvae under burlap bands on trees that were continuously banded than there were on trees from which bands were temporarily removed. Several hypotheses were proposed to explain this result. The hypothesis that deposition of silk trails leads other larvae to the bands was ruled out as an explanation of this result because the experimental removal of silk trails did not significantly affect the number of larvae under bands. Accumulation of moribund larvae under the bands was also ruled out as an explanation because at endemic density levels, very few larvae remained under burlap bands at night; those that did remain were almost entirely in the process of molting. The higher number of larvae found under bands on continuously banded trees was attributed to an accumulation of larvae from surrounding trees that were not banded. This accumulation resulted from a decreased rate of off-tree movement caused by the presence of burlap bands.