News of the Lepidopterists’ Society Volume 49, Number 1 Conservation Matters: Contributions from the Conservation Committee With this column, we kick off one of the more visible products of the Society’s Conservation Committee – Conservation Matters. The double entendre speaks well to our goals for the column. We plan to bring conservation concerns and developments that impact our membership to the forefront. A forum for our committee members to discuss the issues, events, and research that excites and motivates them. But just as importantly, we hope to demonstrate that conservation does matter and that the decline of ecosystems and the Lepidoptera they support impact all of our interests. Collectors, watchers, researchers…, anyone and everyone with an interest in moths and butterflies is affected. It’s worth noting that this column will reflect various viewpoints from the committee. It won’t just include my own opinions in every issue, telling you over and over again about my particular concerns. Rather, we hope that as the column matures, it will truly reflect the full range of issues, threats and strategies that impact our beloved insects. Dave Wager’s kick-off for this column is exemplary – a unique assessment of an ecological threat that most are completely unaware of. As I’ve watched this particular disaster unfold right in my own back yard, attended strategy meetings with impacted stakeholders, and tried to find the funding required to push eradication during the initial discovery phase, I’ve been amazed by the lack of interest by the general population. I think Dave’s column brings the impact home to us – ash feeding specialist moths are doomed if the dire predictions are correct. I honestly don’t know of any workable strategies for averting this “mini-extinction” episode, but maybe someone in our membership has a great idea. And that’s the point – we bring this and other issues before you because it matters. John Shuey, Chair, Conservation Committee Emerald Ash Borer Threatens Ash-feeding Lepidoptera David L. Wagner Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut,Storrs, CT 06229-3043 [email protected] Introduced species can have devastat- a half-mile per year (McCullough et al. forests and woodlands the mortality ing effects on resident biotas. The 2005), human movement of nursery approaches 100%. The EAB is believed accidental release of two exotic plant stock and infected (fire) wood has to have killed more than 20 million ash pathogens, chestnut blight and Dutch greatly accelerated the insect’s trees in the Midwest since 2002 elm disease, to North America, are two dispersal—the beetle is now established (Anonymous 2006, http:// well known examples. Foreign insects and adversely affecting over 40,000 www.emeraldashborer.info/index.cfm). that have had significant impact on our square miles in Illinois, Indiana, Moreover, infestations may linger flora and fauna include the balsam Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, and killing ash seedlings that regenerate woolly adelgid, hemlock woolly adelgid, southern Ontario (Anonymous 2006, under their fallen parents as well as the and the introduced lady beetles that http://www.emeraldashborer.info/ sucker shoots and stump sprouts that appear to have displaced native species. index.cfm). No doubt, additional issue from dying trees, once their girth outlying infestations are as yet un- approaches an inch or so. The Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus detected, and will only be recognized as planipennis) (Buprestidae), a native to All of our eastern North American ash symptoms of infestation become evident Southeast Asia, was first reported in (Fraxinus) species may be susceptible, and attacked trees are located through the United States in July 2002 in the regardless of whether they are growing detection surveys. vicinity of Detroit, Michigan—likely it in wetlands, floodplains, or upland had become established as much as a Larvae of the Emerald Ash Borer tunnel forests. If the beetle’s march continues decade previously. It is believed to have between the bark and wood, largely unchecked, the ecological impacts will been introduced in wooden shipping through the phloem, destroying the be grave. Ash is a co-dominant tree in pallets at ports off of Lake Huron host tree’s ability to conduct nutrients many terrestrial plant communities, (Haack et al. 2002). While its natural (Haack et al. 2002). Heavily infested especially in rich, mesic woodlands, rate of spread has been estimated to be trees are killed; in some Midwestern cove forests, swamps, floodplain and 10 Spring 2007 Spring 2007 News of the Lepidopterists’ Society bottomland forests. White ash is being Caloptilia syringella (Gracillariidae) be little hope for the long-term survival systematically eliminated from upland feeds on ash and lilac; and the Fawn of the species in Table 1 if the EAB were forest systems in the upper Midwest. Sphinx, Sphinx kalmiae (Sphingidae) to spread throughout North America Ash-hickory glades represent one of and Lilac Borer, Podosesia syringae without natural enemies or other Connecticut’s unique plant community (Sesiidae), feed on a range of plants in factors to check the beetle’s impacts. types (Metzler and Barrett 2006). In the olive family (Oleaceae). It seems One can hope that the dire predictions southeastern Michigan, black ash unlikely that species exploiting promulgated by the USDA, Forest swamps (the principal habitat of introduced hosts such as lilac (Syringa) Service and others are exaggerated, but Canadian Sphinx, Sphinx canadanesis) and privet (Ligustrum), would persist given what has transpired in portions have suffered devastating mortality many decades using only exotic hosts of the Midwest, it is none too soon to (John Shuey pers. comm.). The in urban and suburban landscapes. take all reasonable measures to slow the consequences are compounded: ash die- Likely they would eventually suffer the insect’s spread and ameliorate its off in these swamps often allows the same fate as Ailanthus Silkmoth impacts once established. It goes exotic glossy buckthorn to flourish. (Samia cynthia)—extirpation. And even without saying that local or national If ash suffers the same fate as chestnut, if they were to persist, their population measures to prevent or diminish further many Fraxinus specialists will perish in demographics and (genetics) would be biological introductions deserve the the wake of the beetle’s spread. Table 1 massively restructured. Natural Society’s full support. lists 21 species of Nearctic Lepidoptera enemies, specialized on ash-feeding Members are urged to make an effort believed to specialists or largely hosts, of course, would also plummet in to sample the insect faunas of ash and dependent on ash. Additional ash- distribution and abundance. other Oleaceae, in currently unaffected feeding oligophags may also be affected: The threat to ash-feeding moths appears ecosystems. Such baseline data, e.g., the Fringe-tree Sallow, Adita to be especially great in that all especially if quantitative or effort-based, chionanthi (Noctuidae) also eats members of the genus Fraxinus are will allow us to more fully understand fringe-tree; the Lilac Leafminer, believed to be susceptible. There would the beetle’s impacts. Sycientific Name Fsamil Comment Acknowledgements Caloptilia fraxinella Grracillariidae leafminer/shelter forme Several people contributed records for Caloptilia n. sp. Grracillariidae leafminer/shelter forme this note: John DeBenedictis, Tom Ceratomia undulosa Srphingidae leaf feede Eichlin (through John DeBenedictis), and Jerry Powell. Jim Tuttle reviewed Copivaleria grotei Nroctuidae leaf feede the listed sphingids. George Balogh, Homoncocnemis fortis Nroctuidae leaf feede Therese Poland, Judy Semroc, and Hydrelia near inornata Greometridae leaf feede John Shuey, offered helpful suggestions Manduca jasminearum Srphingidae leaf feede on content. Olceclostera angelica Anpatelodidae leaf feeder; also o Syringa Literature Cited Plagodis kuetzingi Greometridae leaf feede Anonymous, 2006. Emerald Ash Borer, http:// Marmara basidendroca Grracillariidae bast mine www.emeraldashborer.info/. Accessed Marmara corticola Grracillariidae bast mine October 29, 2006. Haack, R. A., E. Jendek, H. Liu, K. R. Marchant, Marmara fraxinicola Grracillariidae bast mine T. R. Petrice, T. M. Poland, And H. Ye. 2002. Papaipema furcata Nroctuidae new shoot bore The emerald ash borer: a new exotic pest in North America. Newsletter of the Michigan Philtraea latifoliae Greometridae leaf feede Entomological Society 47: 1-5. Philtraea surcaliforniae Gyeometridae leaf feeder; diet breadth in need of stud Mccullough, D. G., N.W. Siegert, T. M. Poland, D. L. Cappaert, I. Fraser, and D. Williams. Podosesia aureocincta Sresiidae trunk and stem bore 2005. Dispersal of emerald ash borer at Sphinx canadensis Sophingidae leaf feeder; closely tied t F. nigra outlier sites: three case studies. In Emerald Ash Borer Research and Technology Sphinx chersis Snphingidae leaf feeder; also o Ligustrum in suburban and urban areas. Development Meeting, comps. V. Mastro and Sphinx franckii Srphingidae leaf feede R. Reardon, 58-59. FHTET-2004-15. Morgantown, WV: USDA Forest Service. Zelleria hepariella Yrponomeutidae leaf feede Metzler, K. J. and J. P. Barrett. 2006. The Zelleria ? semitincta Yponomeutidae F. dipetala leaf feeder; CA Vegetation of Connecticut: A Preliminary Classification. State Geological and Natural Table 1. A preliminary list of North American Fraxinus specialists. No doubt there are History Survey of Connecticut. Department additional ash-feeders that belong on this list—much remains to be learned about life histories of Environmental Protection, Hartford, CT. of Texan and western North American Lepidoptera. Members who know of other ash specialists 109 pp. are urged to contact John Shuey ([email protected] ) or Dave Wagner ([email protected]). Volume 49, Number 1 11 2 Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) (left to right). Adult on penny. Detail of adult. Last instar. Dead ash trees. Images from “Forestry Images” (http://www.forestryimages.org). See update on pp. 61..