History of the Asian lymantria species program: A unique pathway risk mitigation strategy

Abstract

Changes in grain trading between Russian Far Eastern ports and North America in the late 1980s and early 1990s led to introductions of Lymantria dispar asiatica (Vnukovskij), formerly called the Asian gypsy moth (AGM), and the recognition of a new pathway for its transport. Unlike the pathways commonly used and regulated for commodities and for packaging material containing pest organisms, this presented a unique pathway for AGM. Vessels departing from the Russia Far East transiting to ports on the west coast of the United States (US) and Canada (CA) were infested with life stages of AGM and related species. Upon arrival in North America, eggs oviposited on the surfaces of the ships and its cargo hatched with larvae ballooning to vegetation surrounding port areas leading to the potential establishment of AGM populations. A multi layered monitoring and inspection program was developed to mitigate this risk of introduction, initially for Russian Far Eastern ports, and eventually to include specified areas of other Asian countries. In this article, we summarize and review the integral parts of this mitigation program, which include: risk assessments, AGM monitoring in foreign and domestic ports, vessel cleaning and certification by a government Plant Protection Organization (PPO) or its proxy, AGM surveillance, and eradication of introduced AGM in ports and other areas within the United States and Canada. The uniqueness of this program is characterized by its complexity, which involves coordinated efforts of PPOs, the use of various inspection organizations, and the support of ocean transportation industries.