Graduate Program
Biological Sciences
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Semester of Degree Completion
2008
Thesis Director
Ann Fritz
Thesis Committee Member
Eric Bollinger
Thesis Committee Member
Paul Switzer
Abstract
The eastern tent caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) is a widely studied social caterpillar. The nests (i.e. tents) of the tent caterpillar are most frequently found on Black Cherry trees (Prunus serotina). However, dispersions of tents are often clumped with one cherry tree having five or more tent caterpillar nests in it and another cherry tree 3 meters away having only one nest, or none at all. I tried to determine why this happens. Because of the short field season, much of the research on the caterpillars has been done in the laboratory. I tried to determine host selection based upon a field survey of the caterpillar's tent locations. Characteristics of black cherry trees, such as height, canopy coverage, and surrounding vegetation were measured. I found that tent height and aspect play important roles in host tree selection. Factors such as vegetation and canopy coverage, for both host trees with one tent and multiple tents, do not play a significant role in host tree selection.
The eastern tent caterpillar's egg mass may directly influence the health and growth rates of both the larval stage and the adult moth. In this study, I proposed that tree height influenced the number of eggs that hatch out of the egg mass and that the size of the egg mass was positively correlated with the growth rate of the larva. However, tree height did not significantly influence the number of hatched eggs. There was a slight trend towards taller trees producing more hatched eggs. Egg mass size and growth rates were also determined. The number of eggs hatched did not significantly influence growth rates of the larvae. Regression models suggest larger egg masses were constructed on larger trees, however growth rates of caterpillars was not correlated with the number of hatched eggs from individual egg masses. The numbers of eggs in egg masses were similar for both study seasons and previous studies.
Recommended Citation
Pleasant, Jennifer, "Spatial and Ecological Patterns of Tent Location in the Eastern Tent Caterpillar, Malacosoma americana (Lepidoptera:Lasiocampidae)" (2008). Masters Theses. 25.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/25
