Manipulation of forest ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) abundance and resulting impact on gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) populations

Ants in 12 by 12 m plots in a young, regrown mixed oak-maple forest were attracted by sugar sprays or suppressed using barrier bands and poison baits. Sampling for ants using cat food baits and direct observations confirmed that ant abundance was changed by these treatments. Predation of tethered gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), larvae followed a similar pattern. Direct counts of young gypsy moth larvae were lower in plots where ants were attracted with sprays and higher in plots where ants were suppressed with baits. The implications these results have for control of gypsy moths by ants are discussed