Feeding by Korscheltellus gracilis (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) larvae on roots of spruce and fir
1992
Tobi, D.R. | Parker, B.L. | Wallner, W.E.
Feeding habits of Korscheltellus gracilis (Grote) were determined in the laboratory and field in Vermont. Gymnosperm and angiosperm seedlings and one fern were exposed to larvae. Significant reductions in root length or volume occurred in all three taxa. Larvae removed root bark and phloem and often girdled stem bases. Feeding damage was similar to that found in high elevation spruce-fir forests on Camels Hump Mountain, VT. The feeding experiments suggest that this insect may have a negative effect on regeneration and contribute to red spruce (Picea rubens) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea) decline in the northeastern United States.
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