Effects of Defoliation on Survival of Larvae of the Larch Sawfly Pristiphora erichsonii (Htg.)

Abstract

AbstractThe searching behaviour of fifth-instar larch sawfly larvae on artificially defoliated tamarack branches and trees is discussed. Local defoliation is shown to be capable of causing appreciable mortality among early-instar larvae if feeding damage by earlier colonies forces them to wander in search of food. Air temperature affects the distance and rate of such larval movement. A considerable proportion of dislodged fifth-instar larvae are able to reach foliage and resume feeding on nearby host trees.