LINDANE IN FORESTRY ... a continuing controversy PACIFIC SOUTHWEST Forest and Range Experiment Station FOREST SERVICE U. S.DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE P. 0. BOX 245, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94701 USDA FOREST SERVICE GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PSW- 14 11976 LINDANE IN FORESTRY...a continuing controversy Thomas W. Koerber, compiler CONTENTS Page Preface.. ............................. 1 Biological Characteristics of Lindane ................ 3 Thomas W. Koerber Lindane Residues in the Environment ................. 6 George T. Fewell Effectiveness of Lindane Against Bark Beetles and Wood Borers .... 11 Richard H. Smith Lindane: An Undesirable Approach to Bark Beetle Control ...... 16 Donald L. Dahlsten Lindane Registration Should Not Be Retained ............. 22 Lloyd E. Broune, Donald L. Dahlsten, Fred M. Stephen, and John M. Wenz Lindane: A Useful Approach to Bark Beetle Control ......... 25 Bruce H. Roettgering, Roy Blomstrom, Robert W. Gustafson, and John I?. Pierce Lindane Registration Should Be Retained ............... 27 Kenneth M. Swain Koerber, Thomas W., compiler. 1976. Lindane in forestry... a continuing controversy. USDA Forest Serv. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-14, 30 p., illus. Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Exp. Stn., Berkeley, Calif. Use of the chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide lindane to control bark beetles is controversial. Differences of opinion persist, even among knowledgeable entomologists, on whether use is justified in view of potentially harmful side effects. Effectiveness of lindane treatments, as employed in preventing tree mortality from bark beetles, is also in question. In seven papers, relevant information from many sources is reviewed by investigators who hold divergent views. The papers present data on the biological characteristics of lindane, its persistence in the environment and effects on both target and nontarget organisms. The place of lindane in a spectrum of forest manage- ment alternatives is presented together with arguments both for and against its continued use. Oxford: 453--145.7xl9.92 Scolytidae--414.12Lindane. Retrieval Terms: Bark beetle control; lindane; cyclohexane,1,2,3,4, 5,6-hexachloro-(benzene hexach1oride)garnma isomer. Compiler THOMAS W. KOERBER is a research entomologist at the Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Berkeley, California. The Authors ROY BLOMSTROM, now retired, was formerly Chief, Branch of Pest Control, Division of Timber Management, California Region, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, San Francisco. LLOYD E. BROWNE is associate specialist, Department of Entomological Sciences, University of California, Berkeley. DONALD L. DAHLSTEN is professor of entomology, Department of Entomological Sciences at the University, Berkeley. GEORGE T. FERRELL is a research entomologist at the Station. ROBERT W. GUSTAFSON, formerly a forester in the Region's Branch of Pest Control, is now a forester in the Region's Cooperative Forest Management Group. JOHN R. PIERCE, entomologist, is with the Forest Insect and Disease Management Staff, California Region. BRUCE H. ROETTGERING is leader of the Entomology Group, California Re- gion. RICHARD H. SMITH heads forest insect research at Pacific Southwest Station. FREDERICK M. STEPHEN, formerly a research assistant at the University, is now assistant professor of entomology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. KENNETH M. SWAIN is an entomologist, formerly with the California Region in San Francisco and now in the Forest Insect and Disease Management Staff, State and Private Forestry Southeastern Area, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Atlanta, Georgia. JOHN M. WENZ, formerly a student in the University of Califor- nia's Department of Entomological Sciences at Berkeley, is now entomologist, Pest Control Group, State and Private Forestry, San Francisco. PREFACE The use of pesticides in resource manage- When the Insect Committee of the Council ment is a highly controversial issue. Argue- next met on November 18, some members objected ments on the subject appear almost daily in to the content of the brief, and to the lack of technical journals, in the press, and in the consultation with the Insect Committee in its proceedings of legislative bodies. Even well- preparation. A resolution stating that the In- informed persons do not agree on the best poli- sect Committee was not in support of the Execu- cy to follow. Meanwhile, pest management deci- tive Committee was passed and presented at the sions are required on a day-to-day basis. meeting of the full Council the following day. The resolution was tabled by the full Council The use of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesti- on the grounds that too little time was avail- cides, because of their persistence in the en- able to discuss the issue properly. vironment, has been particularly controversial. In November 1969, the Marak Commission on Pest- A special meeting of the Insect Committee icides and Their Relationship to Environmental was held on February 3, 1971, to discuss the Health recommended that the use of chlorinated issue. Reports presenting both sides of the hydrocarbon insecticides, including 1indane.u controversy and bringing together relevant in- be restricted to essential purposes and be re- formation from scattered sources had been pre- placed by safer alternatives whenever possible. pared by members of the Insect Committee. These The U. S. Department of Agriculture invited sub- reports were distributed to the members before mission of views on the proposed restrictions the meeting so that those participating in the (Federal Register, vol. 35, no. 148). Dr. Ralph discussion were well informed on both sides of C. Hall, then Chairman of the California Forest the issue and prepared to question or defend Pest Control Action council^/ drafted a brief specific points of fact or opinion. in support of continued use of lindane to con- trol bark beetles in California forests. This After a full day of discussion, the pro- statement was approved by the Executive Commit- posed resolution denying support to the recom- tee of the Council on October 22, 1970, and for- mendation of continued use of lindane was de- warded to the Director of the Pesticide Regula- feated by a vote of 21-20. An alternative re- tion Division of the Agricultural Research Ser- solution recommending the continued registration vice. of lindane for control of bark beetles, wood borers, powder post beetles, ambrosia beetles, and termites, when noninsecticidal alternatives for control are not suitable, was then passed à The name "lindanefI strictly denotes the gam- by a vote of 21-18. The full Council approved ma isomer of benzene hexachloride (BHC). As this resolution at its next regular meeting, broadly used in this publication, "lindane" may November 1971. refer either to the pure gamma isomer or to the gamma isomer content of a mixture of BHC isomers. In response to these proceedings, compre- hensive tests were made to find alternatives for The California Forest Pest Control Action lindane against western bark beetles. The re- Council was formed in 1951 in recognition of the sults, now in manuscript form, show that Dursban need for close cooperation among land managers and Sevin are effective, though generally not concerned with forest pest problems. Primarily comparable to lindane, in preventing attacks, an advisory and coordinating group, the Council and could be considered for use under certain sponsors a Statewide cooperative forest pest de- conditions. Registration of these chemicals for tection survey; publishes an annual report of use against bark beetles is expected in the near forest pest conditions; studies, endorses, and future. supports desirable pest control actions; reviews control needs and programs; and provides a for- The continuing demand for the reports pre- m for the exchange of pest control information. pared for the February 1971 Insect Committee The California State Board of Forestry has des- meeting has prompted their publication here. ignated the Council as its official advisory They served as the basis of another brief sup- group for forest insect, disease, and animal porting continued registration of lindane (sub- problems. mitted by the Council to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in May 1972) and a minority tions, and minutes of the meetings, are avail- report opposing continued use of lindane (sub- able on request to the Project Leader, Forest mitted in February 1974). As of the date of Insect Research, Pacific Southwest Forest and this publication, lindane registration remains Range Experiment Station, P. 0. Box 245, Berk- in effect. eley, CA 94701. This account of the Council's role in the lindane controversy is necessarily brief. Con- siderable interest has been shown in the pro- Trade names and commercial enterprises or cess by which the Council handled the controver- products are mentioned solely for information. sy. Therefore, details of the discussions, in- No endorsement by the U. S. Department of Agri- eluding copies of the various briefs, resolu- culture is implied. Biological Characteristics of Lindane Thomas W. Koerber Abstract--Lindane is an effective insecticide against bark beetles. It is equally toxic to nontarget insects but much less toxic to mammals, birds, and plants. It is moderately stable in soil and bark, but animals and bacteria rapidly metabolize it to nontoxic products, thus preventing significant con- centration in living animals and movement in food chains. The biological