SOLUTION SEPARATION AND MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD DENSITY ESTIMATES OF HEMLOCK LOOPER (LEPIDOPTERA: GEOMETRIDAE) EGGS IN MOSS

Abstract

AbstractCounting hemlock looper (Lambditm fiscellaria lugnbrosa) eggs attached to moss samples is tedious and inaccurate. Moss samples treated with a 0.5% NaOH solution for 1 minute releases the eggs, which can be washed and filtered out of the moss. Other debris can be separated through differential flotation with 15% NaCl solution. Three such washings provide data for analysis with the maximum likelihood method, producing density estimates with low-standard errors.