PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is one of the most damaging pests of forests in Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. It feeds upon over 500 plant species, and is a species of quarantine/phytosanitary importance in many eco-zones. Serious outbreaks of gypsy moth infestations in forests have affected millions of hectares in the US and Europe with significant timber loss, big financial losses and millions of hectares sprayed, with a negative impact on terrestrial/aquatic organisms. It has also caused losses to urban/suburban forests. Various insecticides have been used for its control, often through aerial sprayings, which negatively affect biodiversity, frequently fail, and are inappropriate or cannot be used in urban/recreational areas. Many of the insecticides tested have high mammalian toxicity, contaminate soil and water, and their use for area-wide management is questionable for health and environmental reasons. The gypsy moth also poses a health risk to people, causing dermatitis and hives (after contact with caterpillars or airborne hairs), patchy erythema, erythematous and urticarial papules and linear streaks, raising serious public health concerns. The control of the gypsy moth using methodologies that are safe for the environment and human health is highly important. Recently, traps and pheromones used to successfully control other urban species (e.g. Thaumetopoea pityocampa through the LIFE PISA project) have provided good examples for the development of methods to control gypsy moth with minimal pesticide use.
OBJECTIVES
The basic aim of LIFE eGymer is to demonstrate non-chemical pest control methods for gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), by developing and implementing smart traps, mass adult and larval trapping, and mating disruption techniques. The project team will also remotely monitor and effectively control more than one life stage of the gypsy moth, and, most importantly, allow a much wider application time window compared to chemical control methods.
Specific objectives are to:
- Design and develop novel recyclable e-traps for the capture of larvae and adults, further developing the technology that the project LIFE PISA produced and adapting mass trapping and mating disruption methods, as judicious control strategies for gypsy moth, eliminating the dependence on chemicals and their negative environmental impact;
- Continuously monitor infestation levels with the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and provide early warnings to management bodies, preventing the moth from spreading and allowing biological control with non-toxic agents;
- Minimise infestation levels in target areas, demonstrating the wide applicability of the methods developed, and disseminate these to protected area management bodies and local authorities;
- Drastically reduce application costs and ineffective chemical applications (recreational areas, high trees, etc.);
- Commercialise novel traps made of recycled materials/renewable resources, actively promoting circular economy and reducing both the cost and the carbon footprint of raw materials;
- Minimise health problems and risks due to the presence of gypsy moth larvae in forests and urban/recreational areas, for both humans and animals, and reduce social security expenditure;
- Demonstrate the positive influence of the pest control strategies on local biodiversity and beneficial fauna;
- Ensure long-term sustainability through a business plan that provides income for companies involved in trap manufacturing; and
- Demonstrate and validate the techno-economic and environmental feasibility and transferability of the pest control model, for its application to other areas where gypsy moth is a problem.
The project will contribute to the implementation of EU Directive 2009/128/EC on establishing a Community action framework to achieve sustainable pesticides use; EU Plastics Strategy; Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability; Circular Economy Action Plan; Waste Framework Directive; EU Forest Strategy; and the European Green Deal.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- Demonstration of a new control system in 3 EU countries, 8 different sites and 320 ha of protected forest and recreational space, using at least 710 eco-friendly smart traps and mating disruptor (pheromone) dispensers;
- Demonstration and evaluation of 3 complementary eco-friendly methods for gypsy moth control;
- Development and demonstration of an early warning system for moth presence, allowing biological control with non-toxic agents and area-wide management;
- Enhancement by at least 20% of biodiversity indicators (local fauna) in demo-sites;
- 100% recycling and waste management of bioplastic-made traps (e.g. PLA). At least 213 kg of recycled plastic will be used for the traps, basing the technology on 100% recycled plastic or bioplastic materials (>30% of bio-source material used in the trap);
- 100% reduction/elimination of insecticide applications in tested areas (>5 tn liquid formulation), which may significantly reduce environmental impacts if widely adopted;
- >90% reduction of highly defoliated trees or other gypsy moth infestation symptoms;
- Development of a holistic, sustainable system for gypsy moth control, based on mating disruption and mass trapping techniques. Moth control will prevent subsequent larval population growth. Decrease of adults, larvae and eggs by >50%;
- Reduction of CO2 by 92% due to carbon footprint reduction (less active ingredient, vehicle and machinery use);
- >90% reduction of the health problems caused by the gypsy moth, making urban, sub-urban and recreational areas highly accessible;
- PROBODELT sector net profit increase of >€0.6m/year in short-term EU sales and market expansion based on competitive trap market prices (<€15/trap) and assembling/disassembling time (<10min);
- €3.19m/year savings on pesticide (diflubenzuron) and much more in operational costs in the 3 participating countries;
- Social security savings (>€4.6m/year in EU) based on reduction of drug prescriptions and hospitalised individuals; and
- Adoption of the innovative non-chemical area-wide strategy for the gypsy moth by at least 3 phytosanitary authorities and >20 local municipalities/policymaking bodies/forest services.
