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Evidence Of Lilac Borer (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) Population On Mackinac Island, Mi, David Max Lowenstein

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Mackinac Island, Michigan, is a major tourism destination with its lilacs an important part of the local culture. Recently, the health of some lilacs has declined. It is uncertain if this is due to the lilac’s age, attack by lilac borer, Podosesia syringae (Harris) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), or a combination of environmental and biotic factors. The lilac borer is a clearwing moth whose larvae bore within ash and lilac, and there are minimal local records of the insect in Northern Michigan and none on Mackinac Island. This study deployed pheromone traps to identify the flight period of lilac borer, potential damage …