Entomophaga maimaiga in Europe: the story so far

Gy. Csóka1; M. Zubrik2; B. Hrasovec3; M. Tabakovic-Tosic4; A. Kunca2; A. Hirka1; M. Pernek3; M. Glavendekic4; M. Dautabasic5; G. Georgiev6;

M. Georgieva6; A. Hajek7; D. Goertz8 and D. Pilarska6

1Hungary, 2Slovakia, 3Croatia, 4Serbia, 5Bosnia-Hercegovina, 6Bulgaria, 7USA, 8Austria

5th Meeting of Forest Protection Specialists and Forest Phytosanitary Specialists Vienna, Austria

13-14 March 2014

Gypsy moth is a major forest health issue and an increasingly important human ecological

problem in many European countries.

SPAIN - Over 200,000ha in some

years

GERMANY - The highest yealy value

is 70,000ha

BULGARIA - Over 300,000ha in some

years

CROATIA - Over 100,000ha in some

years SERBIA – Close to 400,000ha in some

years

RUMANIA – Over 500,000ha in some

years

UKRAINE - The yearly average is

13,000haSLOVAKIA - The

highest yearly value is 16,000ha

HUNGARY - The „national record” is

over 200,000ha

AUSTRIA – Several 1,000 ha in some

years

Predicted future distribution of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) by CLIMEX in Europe using average global temperature increase of 3.6°C.

Black circles indicate ecoclimatic indices (EI) at meteorological stations. Larger circles represent higher EI values and more favourable climatic conditions for L. dispar. Shaded area represents current distribution of gypsy moth (Vanhanen et al 2007)

To spray or not to spray? Symptomatic treatments.

Expensive.

Even the nature-friendly technologies have too severe side effects.

Increasing conservation issues.

The EU is considering to ban any aerial application.

So we are dreaming of a strictly host specific and effective biological control agent.

Orthosia schmidtii Erannis ankeraria Eriogaster catax

„Natura 2000 indicator species” (protected in the EU) living in habitats overlapping with GM habitats

Introductions of Entomophaga maimaiga to Europe

Bulgaria1996 1999 2001 2005 2008 2009 2010

201112 sites

Serbia2011 2012 2013

90 sites

First records of EM by countries

Bosnia-Hercegovina 2013 (natural spread)Bulgaria 1996 (introduction)Croatia 2013 (natural spread)Georgia 2005 (natural spread)Greece 2012 (natural spread)Hungary 2013 (natural spread)Macedonia 2012 (natural spread)Serbia 2011 (introduction+natural spread)Slovakia 2010 (natural spread)Turkey 2011 (natural spread)

Permit for the introduction of Enomophaga maimaiga in Bulgaria issued by Ministry of Environment and Water Management in 1999.

1999

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

2005

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

2005

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

Ca. 1,000 miles

2008

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

2009

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

2010

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

2011

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

2012

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

2013

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

???

???

???

???

Unexpected distances (300-400 km) from the closest Serbian introduction

site.

back to 2010

documented deliberate introduction

recorded occurrance without introduction

Čifare

Forest area infested yearly by GM in Bulgaria before and after the introduction of EM

0

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100

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1949

1952

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2012

Year

Fore

st a

rea

infe

sted

(1,0

00 h

a)

 In 2012 EM caused collapse of GM outbreak in the culmination phase on 8,000 ha forest land in Serbia.

Similar „premature collapse” happened in Hungary in several thousand hectares of forests in 2013.

 

What about the undesired side

effects?

Harlequin lady bird (Harmonia axyridis)

Many questions to be answered…-EM can be considered as a competitive handicap for GM. Will the other oak herbivores (geometrids, tortricids, sawflies, etc.) benefit from this fact in longer term?

-How will the climate change influence the impact of EM on GM?

-How will EM indirectly influence the natural enemies of GM (parasitoids, predators).

…and so on.

SUMMARYGM moth is a major forest health and human ecological issue in many European countries.Its area will be likely to expand due to the climate change.Its forest health importance is likely to grow both directly (more frequent and severe defoliations) and indirectly (more severe „damage chains” triggered). Traditional aerial control is becoming more and more unacceptable.Two countries (Bulgaria and Serbia) have introduced EM in Europe in many waves (between 1996 and 2013).

EM has spread west- and northwards at an unexpected speed and for an unexpected distance (ca. 250 miles in 2 years).

SUMMARY(continued)

EM caused dramatic mortality in many CE-European GM populations.The long term impact on forest health will probably be far more beneficial than harmful.The strict host specificity must be proven convincingly on national levels.National, bi-, and multilateral research projects are being formed.An Europe-wide cooperative research proposal has just been submitted.

 Thanks for your attention!

 This is just the beginning…