Recovery of nontarget Lepidoptera on Vancouver Island, Canada: one and four years after a gypsy moth eradication program.

The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is a destructive defoliator that is not established in British Columbia, Canada, because of successful eradication programs involving the microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk). In 1999, three aerial applications of Btk were made over two areas, totaling 12,805 ha, on southern Vancouver Island, Canada.

Responses of nontarget Lepidoptera to Foray 48B Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Impacts of a gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) eradication program on native, nontarget Lepidoptera were assessed in 1999, on southeastern Vancouver Island (BC, Canada). The microbial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) was applied aerially over two areas totalling 12,805 ha on May 8, May 19, and June 8, 1999, at a dosage of 50 billion international units in 4.