<html><head></head><body><div> <span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: courier new, courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I was hoping for a research diapause. Instead, this is a 24/7/365 research project. </span></span>I thought that with a hard freeze the field season on the Spotted Lanternfly would be over. I could not have been more wrong. When the leaves dropped the wooded areas became more transparent which allowed me to see relationships not possible before leaf drop. Yesterday is a good example in that there was practically a vineyard of wild grape hidden in the leaves on a trail we walk several times a month. A few minutes of walking around showed a strong correlation between wild grape and SLF egg masses on nearby trees.</div><div> </div><div><br></div><div> As always, anyone who wants to walk with me is invited to. My wife's eyes and thoughts have proven invaluable. The same would be true of other people.</div><div><br></div><div> Richard Gardner</div><div> Bernville, PA</div><div> rtgardner3@yahoo.com</div><div> 410.726.3045</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span><p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Thoughts on 2018 research on the Spotted
lanternfly, <i>Lycorma delicatula</i>,<i> </i>in Berks County PA</span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Richard Gardner</span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">rtgardner3@yahoo.com 410.726.3045</span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Nov. 1,
2018, <span style="color:red">rev. Dec. 12, 2018, </span><a name="_Hlk533057966"><span style="color:#2501BF">Dec. 20, 2018</span></a><span style="color:#2501BF">, </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 130, 40); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Dec. 21, 2018, </span></span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#ED7D31;mso-themecolor:accent2">Dec. 31, 2018</span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#008228"> </span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Observation of habitat</span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> From field research I have been doing this <a name="_Hlk529987041">year the Spotted lanternfly, <i>Lycorma delicatula</i></a>, is an insect of ecotones. Locally we have
four distinct ecosystems: urban, suburban, rural and forest. Three of these
ecosystems are primarily ecotones: urban, suburban and rural. To this point the three most common food
plants in order of preference appear to be <i>Ailanthus
altissima</i>, <i>Vitis sp.</i> and <i>Celastrus orbiculatus</i>. <i><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Acer
saccharinum</span></i><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">, an ornamental tree common near where I live,
appears to be another food source when <i>A. altissima</i> and <i>Vitis sp</i>.
are not available.</span></span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> Urban ecosystems tend to be
fragmented with few if any forested areas more than 100 yards across. Mostly, they
are a series of vacant lots, small hedgerows between properties<a name="_Hlk529528505">, utility right-of-ways </a>and similar disturbed areas
where plants grow. Additionally, there are domesticated trees planted by
municipal authorities and landowners. Manmade surfaces abound where SLF eggs
can be deposited and vehicles to transport SLF across the landscape. The
distances between parts of the ecotone appear to be easily traversed by SLF
without human help since they are often short. Therefore, this appears to the
most highly infested of the four local ecosystems.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> Suburban ecosystems are less
fragmented than urban areas but have similar characteristics in having vacant
lots, disturbed areas between properties and utility right-of-ways with few
deeper forested areas. Landowners and local government bodies plant
domesticated plants, like urban governments, but on larger tracts of land. The
largest difference is that there tends to be more space between buildings and
larger patches of land where plants can grow with fewer manmade surfaces and
vehicles. Still the distance between parts of this ecotone are relatively
short.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> Rural ecosystems have more open
space and larger blocks of trees, yet with the same patchwork of hedgerows,
abandoned tracts of land, utility right-of-ways and similar as urban and
suburban ecosystems. The biggest differences are that the hedgerows can be
deeper/longer, there are small forests scattered across the landscape with many
fewer vehicles and manmade surfaces and the distances between parts of the
ecotone are further.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> Forested ecosystems tend to be
large areas of deep forests with longer and fewer edges even though roads,
trails and utility right-of-ways run through them. This is critical because
most of the plants that the SLF feeds on appear to be ecotone plants, not
plants of the deep forest. I seldom find <i>A. altissima</i>, <i>Vitis sp</i>.
and <i>C. orbiculatus</i> more than a few yards deep in forests, except where
an ecotone was created by geological features, fallen trees or human disturbance.
I have yet to find SLF on any of the forest trees beyond the edges of an
ecotone. Therefore, this appears to be the least heavily infested of the local
ecosystems I have investigated.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> Each of these ecotones has
different challenges in SLF control. Urban areas have closely spaced ecotones
separated by roads of varying width and utility acting as minor boundaries for
SLF spread and more people which apparently enhance SLF spread. Suburban and
rural areas have decreasing numbers of roads with decreasing traffic loads and
fewer people making the spread of SLF slower. Forested areas are the slowest
for the spread of SLF because there are fewer people to facilitate its
spreading and food sources tend to be further apart.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Hypotheses on food
consumption </span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> To determine which woody plants
are susceptible to SLF predation, analysis of the nutritional content of their
sap needs to be done. Use <i>Ailanthus altissima</i> as a baseline since from
observation it is the plant with the heaviest infestation and the one it feeds
on in its original home. First test qualitatively for overall sap components of
<i>A. altissima</i>. Then test quantitively for total sugars, proteins, fats, specific
sugars and micronutrients. Compare this data to data from either specific
species SLF may be using as an energy source or members of their families. Using
sugar content as the primary test of plant desirability it can be assumed
plants with the highest sugar content are preferred food.<b></b></span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> Another part of this is to run
the same quantitative tests on the waste SLF produces on <i>A. altissima</i> to
determine the amount of sugar and/or other nutrients in the waste, comparing it
to the same from other potential food sources. The higher the sugar content in
the waste, potentially the higher the sugar content in the tree because
apparently the excess sugar will be in the waste produced by the SLF.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Supporting concepts on
food consumption </span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> A more complex and accurate
predictor of plant preference is the analysis of the utility a plant has for the
SLF. Utility is the amount of benefit an organism derives from a specific
resource. U = (pU-c)/T. Utility = (potential Utility-cost)/Time. Potential
utility is the maximum utility which can be obtained with no cost. Costs can be
related to the sugar concentration of the sap (either too low or too high to
use without additional energy expenditure), a different primary sugar than <i>Ailanthus</i>,
sap viscosity and potential toxins in the sap which need to be dealt with,
hardness of the bark, thickness of the bark or noxious/toxic chemicals in the
bark. Time can either be by life stage from egg to senescence, end of a (the)
reproductive cycle or a discrete unit of time such as minutes, hours or days. Environmental
factors such as air temperature, bark temperature, humidity, amount of
direct/indirect sunlight on the food source, state of the food source – bud
break, full growth, dormancy and the amount of rain – flood, drought and time
from most recent rainfall may change the utility values. The higher the quality
of the food and the greater ease of access, the more utility it has. Hence, the
higher the U value, the more energy for growth and reproduction.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Observation of <span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">gender
ratio</span></span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> This may have a gender component
as it is generally accepted that in most species males have a much lower
reproductive cost than females. Therefore, males may be able to use a resource
of lower quality or less of a high-quality resource than females because of their
lower breeding cost. If this is true, then it helps ensure his progeny and the
reproductive viability of the species by reserving either higher quality
resources or more of a higher quality resource for females to maximize their reproductive
success.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Observation of <span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">egg
laying strategy</span></span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> Egg laying is an aspect which is
confounding me. There appear to be mixed strategies of single females laying
eggs and covering them relatively far from other females such as different
trees/surfaces and group egg laying either contiguous to or near each other.
This becomes more complicated because it appears that one SLF female may lay
eggs close to the eggs of another female with the second female covering both
sets of eggs. Then there are the eggs which are not covered which adds another
dimension to the puzzle. The large communal egg masses are much less common
than egg masses randomly scattered on a single tree or across the landscape on
a variety of plants and surfaces. So far, I have found eggs on grey birch,
black birch, pignut, choke cherry, wild grape, silver maple, box elder, oak sp.
and <i>Ailanthus</i>.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Supporting concepts on
egg laying strategy </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"></span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">All the egg laying strategies can be reduced to game theory in the same
way determining food sources is. The biggest mistake is to assume that what we
see in this area is not reflective of where the SLF originated. Egg masses
scattered around a landscape may ensure lower egg predation in the home habitat.
Whereas, egg masses on a food source ensures that hatching nymphs have a
readily available food source. Large masses of eggs in a small area may ensure
that if egg predation occurs, some of the eggs will survive. The problem with
assigning values to variables such as predation and proximity to food is that
we do not know what the conditions are in the original habitat. When the SLF
became established here the variables changed. What was a good strategy in
Asia, may be a neutral or negative strategy here. Or, the strategy is good here
for different reasons than in Asia. The scattering of the eggs across the
landscape in Asia may have avoided predation, but here allows for the efficient
movement of multiple generations of SLF across our landscape. The one constant
is that the egg laying and other survival strategies are rapidly evolving to
meet the new challenges offered by our ecology as it is different than the home
ecology of the SLF.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: red; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Dec.
12</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Observation of <span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">egg masses
and location</span></span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: red; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> What I have been learning in the last week or
so is that the apparent chaotic egg laying and the coating on top of the egg
masses, with subsequent color changing and cracks developing may in part be the
SLF camouflaging the egg masses from the egg predators which it experienced in
Asia. When I looked at the local trees and the egg masses, there are a lot of
similarities between the egg masses, lichen, cankers and similar on the bark of
trees. However, this is not Asia, so I cannot say exactly what the Asian
vegetation looks like.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: red; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> An issue I came across today was that gypsy moth
habitat and SLF habitat overlap and their eggs may be laid on the same trees.
The only difference I see is that SLF is confined to the edge of forests,
hedgerows and other ecotone areas since this is where its primary foods are
located. The gypsy moth lays eggs on trees wherever it finds them, including
the deep forest, the edge of forests, hedgerows and trees in cities. Gypsy moth
egg masses are light brown foam while SLF egg masses are smooth, sometimes going
from dirty white to light tan after laying. I am not sure if there is an
overlap or the extent of the possible overlap of food plant species that Gypsy
moths and SLF feed on. The timing of the egg laying is different. Gypsy moths
tend to lay eggs mid to late summer. SLF egg laying appears to be late summer
to a killer freeze. </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: red; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Supporting concepts on
egg laying location</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"></span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: red; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The
timing may be based on the preferred foods of each. Gypsy moth larvae feed
mostly on the leaves of deciduous hardwoods, which come into leaf late winter
to mid-spring. This is much earlier in the year than <i>Ailanthus</i>, which
comes into leaf in the late spring, one of the last trees to do so. Emergence
of the immature stage for both may also be related to their food sources and
feeding method. Gypsy moth larvae feed by chewing and digesting leaves. This is
very different than the SLF nymphs and adults drilling into a plant and sucking
the sap. I am not sure how much ahead of bud break and leafing out sap runs in <i>Ailanthus</i>
or how much after leaf drop it continues. This will affect the timing of SLF
egg hatching since <i>Ailanthus</i> still appears to be the primary food of
SLF.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: red; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Observation of <span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">egg
laying location</span></span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: red; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> One last observation I made today is that I
found SLF eggs only on grey birch trees in and surrounding the stand of <i>Ailanthus</i>
trees. No egg masses were found on <i>Ailanthus</i> trees where I had seen SLF
earlier in the fall. Reviewing the photos from earlier today, there were
generally one to three egg masses on each grey birch where the eggs masses were
found. As usual there was no apparent order in the scattering of the egg masses
within the grey birch stand. This needs more time walking to see if this is
generally true in other areas.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: red; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> A general ongoing observation is that I have
seldom seen SLF egg masses much higher than 4 or 5 feet off the ground. The one
obvious exception is on domesticated silver maple.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: red; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Supporting concepts
on genetic traits</span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> Ailanthus</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> has been isolated from
the SLF since the mid-1700’s when seeds were brought from China to Paris. Next
the tree went to London before coming to Philadelphia after the end of the American
Revolutionary War in 1784. As often happens, when a defense is no longer needed
it will either cease to exist or exist at a very low level. It will be exciting
to watch the changes in <i>Ailanthus </i>over time with the reintroduction of
this threat to it and the possibility that the tree by itself will control the
SLF by bringing back or reinventing defense mechanisms to this specific threat.
*</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> A final point is that the SLF was
introduced in this country only a few generations ago, perhaps four
generations, but most probably several more. What will happen in the next
several years is hard enough to guess. What may happen beyond that is beyond
our ability to comprehend at the present time. That the SLF we are seeing are
derived from one to a few females is important. The fewer parents the more
limited the gene pool. This means that the SLF does not have the full genetic
toolbox of where it came from to deal with multiple new challenges such as
predators, disease and foods (which may be toxic) in its new home. There lays
our greatest hope – that the SLF will encounter a challenge which will either
control it or hopefully eradicate it.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#2501BF">Dec. 20</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Supporting concepts
on travel</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#2501BF"></span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#2501BF"> If my observations about
grasshoppers are correct, in general hoppers, especially big ones, need long
open areas to move in because they do not have the ability to control their
flight the way flyers such as moths and black flies do. This is what edge habitats/ecotones
are usually like, wooded areas next to open fields.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#2501BF"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#2501BF"> To make the jumps between
feeding and egg deposition areas may mean long straight leaps along the edge of
a forest, across a field or down a hedgerow. Shorter jumps in the edges of
wooded areas of 2 to 10 feet from one food source to another or to an egg
laying site are not a problem in a wooded area.
However, the longer travelling jumps during the apparent explosion of
adults across the landscape during the fall are only possible in open areas and
along the outside edges of hedgerows and wooded areas. This further reinforces
the idea that SLF is not a forest pest, but can be one of rural, suburban and
urban areas which are composed of a mixture of hedgerows, small forests and
large open areas. This is one area I intend to research this fall.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#2501BF"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><a name="_Hlk533395455"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#008228"> Dec. 21 </span></a></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Observation
of habitat as compared to gypsy moth</span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#008228">
The gypsy moth,<i><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> Lymantria dispar</span></i><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">, is a far more destructive pest of forests than the
SLF. A few years ago, I saw hardwood trees completely stripped of their leaves and
covered with Gypsy moth egg masses in the forest just east of Port Clinton. In
areas of similar size, I may see perhaps a dozen SLF egg masses compared to
hundreds of gypsy moth egg masses. SLF primarily feeds on <i>Ailanthus</i>. Gypsy moths feed on most hardwood and coniferous trees.
The difference is that SLF lives where we do, in the cities and suburbs. To see
the gypsy moth requires going to a forest. Hence, SLF is much more visible than
the more destructive gypsy moth. </span></span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><a name="_Hlk533926164"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128">Dec. 31</span></a></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> An important observation in the comparative
damage between Gypsy moth and SLF is that the range of the SLF is a subset of
the range of the Gypsy moth in the same way the SLF foods are at best a subset
of Gypsy moth. (I am not sure if Gypsy moths feed on the same foods as SLF, but
SLF does not feed on the same range of foods as Gypsy moths.) Throughout my
life I have seen Gypsy moth egg masses in urban, rural and forested areas. I
have yet to see SLF egg masses more than 50 feet into a forest with the egg
masses deposited in reference to nearby <i>Ailanthus</i>
trees or wild grape.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Hypotheses on gender
ratio</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"></span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> One of the odd consequences of the Spotted
Lanternfly is that it may move diseases between <i>Ailanthus</i> trees.
If so, this will be at the point where the nymph stage becomes adults and
explosively move across the ecology. Once the adults settle on an <i>Ailanthus</i> tree,
I doubt they move except females to lay eggs on non-<i>Ailanthus</i>. I’m not sure, but doubtful, that
females move afterwards to a different <i>Ailanthus</i> tree in a
stand to feed until dying or to feed until producing a second brood. My observation is that there is an
unexpectedly large skewed gender ratio in favor of males on <i>Ailanthus</i> trees instead of the expected
one-to-one correspondence between the genders. Either I am unable to tell sexually immature
females from males or more probably females die soon after egg deposition while
males continue living until a hard freeze kills them. </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Observation of <span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">egg
laying</span></span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> On Dec. 24, we walked from the gate at the
lower parking area in SGL110-10 to the top of the ridge on a dirt road built by
the PA Game Commission. Very clearly, SLF hitched rides on vehicles from
different parts of Berks County and dropped off on the way up the mountain to
lay eggs no more than 30 feet from the dirt road. Also, once at the top we
found many dead SLF still stuck to <i>Ailanthus</i>
trees, but not one egg mass on any of the 30+ to <i>Ailanthus</i> trees.</span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"></span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Hypotheses on fertility
after feeding on wild grape, silver maple and <i>Ailanthus</i></span></b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"></span></i></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><a name="_Hlk533950404"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> If close association of SLF egg masses with
wild grape vines (<i>Vitis sp.</i>) is a
valid indicator of fertility, then feeding on <i>Ailanthus</i> is not required for egg production. To this point I have
found this association weakly along the Appalachian Trail at Ft. Franklin Road,
Lehigh County and strongly along the Appalachian Trail at Rt. 183, Bethel
township, Berks County. At both locations I found SLF feeding on wild grape
earlier in the fall without any <i>Ailanthus</i>
trees nearby. Along Sterner Hill Road, Blue Marsh and SGL110-10 on the service
road to the top of the ridge, headed towards the Auburn Overlook, there is a strong
association between SLF egg masses and <i>Vitis
sp.</i> without nearby <i>Ailanthus</i>
trees. I will continue looking for similar associations to strengthen the
argument and checking these egg masses for hatched SLF nymphs in the spring. For
me the only definitive proof of viable reproduction is an F2 generation,
grandchildren. The F1 generation, children, can be sterile, which means that
even though the parents produced viable eggs they were still not successful in
reproducing their parental line and the species.</span></a></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> I will be also be
checking domesticated silver maples (<i>Acer
saccharinum</i>) in a friend’s yard to look at the egg masses for hatching in
the spring.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> From observation at
multiple sites such as the end of Peacock Road, Blue Marsh, SGL110 near the
Auburn Overlook, Sterner Hill Road towards the lake, Blue Marsh and elsewhere,
feeding on <i>Ailanthus</i> trees does not
guarantee egg laying. This may be due to a chemical produced by <i>Ailanthus</i> either preventing SLF sexual
maturation or a similar cause which in effect sterilizes SLF.</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman">Concluding thought</span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> My biggest concern
is that “researchers” are biasing their data and results by being intent on
“solving” this apparent problem instead of observing and knowing SLF and its
effects. It is vital at this point that scientists spend most of their time
walking and observing instead of participating in the nonsensical and naïve
panic which is infecting everyone from homeowners to farmers and politicians.
The proposed strategy which I heard about of trying to remove all the <i>Ailanthus</i> trees from the infested area
is one without practical application. It would require walking every square
meter of land to locate possibly 10,000,000 <i>Ailanthus</i>
trees. Then when it is discovered that SLF can reproduce after feeding on <i>Vitis sp.</i> will there also be attempts to
remove that from the ecology? And, and, and?</span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128">WALK MORE AND TINKER LESS</span></b></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#833C0B;mso-themecolor:accent2;mso-themeshade:128"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="ydpf9be0e91MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">*The
wild (European) parsnip <i><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Pastinaca sativa</span></i><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> L</span>. apparently decreased its defenses when introduced to the
European North American colonies in the early 1600’s due to the lack of a
principal herbivore - the parsnip webworm, <em><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Depressaria <a name="_Hlk529989793">pastinacella</a></span></em>. Defenses built back up with the
accidental reintroduction of <i>D.</i> <em><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">pastinacella</span></em><span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"> in the late 1800’s. (</span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;mso-font-kerning:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Increase
in toxicity of an invasive weed after reassociation with its coevolved
herbivore, </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman">Arthur R. Zangerl and May
R. Berenbaum, PNAS October 25, 2005 102 (43) 15529-15532.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:Times New Roman;color:#7030A0"></span></p></span><br></div><div class="ydpaa19fd10yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family: courier new, courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></div></body></html>