The gypsy moth is one of nature’s most dreaded pests, as it consumes the foliage of over 300 different tree species, and its population keeps growing and spreading. Its population ranges from Ontario to North Carolina, spreading about 21 km per year despite the fact that females cannot fly. In a study published in the online December issue of Ecology Letters, scientists from France and Athens, Georgia, conclude that the pest’s success is driven by its population density.
Filed under: Insects, Invasive species | Tagged: Allee effect, gypsy moth | Leave a Comment »
