Gypsy Moth Research Takes ‘Think Tank' Approach
UNIVERSITY PARK, (Centre
Co.) Contrary to the fictional
adventures of the brilliant detec
tive Sherlock Holmes, the more
people you have working on an
investigation, the better the results.
That same thinking is what drives
the scientists at the Gypsy Moth
Research Center at Penn State to
study the forest pest through the
prism of their own expertise to
gain a clearer image of what makes
the insect function.
“No one has the foggiest idea
why the gypsy moth does what it
does,” says Jack Schultz, professor
of entomology in the College of
Agricultural Sciences and head of
the center. “The ability of this
insect to go from populations that
are very small to an outbreak of
millions is one of the great myster
ies of biology.”
Working on that mystery are
nine scientists in the department of
entomology with wide-ranging
areas of expertise. By sharing
research and networking new dis
coveries, this loosely organized
group can not only clarify how the
gypsy moth functions but also try
to apply that new information to
other insect applications.
“High quality science seeks
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generalization,” Schultz says.
“The amount of collaboration that
goes on at Penn State allows us to
work on solutions that go from the
molecular level to the landscape
level. That kind of perspective is
pretty unusual in entomology.”
Schultz says banding together
the research of nine scientists can
get tricky, especially since the
nature of science and academic
reward is often tied to individual
achievement.
“The temptation is to always
make your way in the scientific
world by specializing,” Schultz
explains. “We try to tap into peo
ple’s desire to attack and solve
complicated problems and make
that into a teamwork philosophy.”
The formation of the center at
Penn State is particularly apt
because the state’s hardwood for
est is a prime target for the pest.
“We are sitting right in the middle
of a forest that is like candy for
gypsy moths,” Schultz says.
Although the group is called a
research center, its members are as
far-flung as, well, gypsy moths.
Some of the team work in a labora
tory away from central campus,
and others have offices in the Agri
cultural Sciences and Industry
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building. Schultz credits contem
porary technology with keeping
the group focused on its goals.
“Electronic mail has helped us
tremendously,” Schultz says. “At a
large university, you can play tele
phone tag for weeks without con
tacting another researcher. With E
mail, everybody has new informa
tion in a matter of hours.”
By keeping the center collabo
rative, yet loosely structured, each'
researcher also can pursue special
ized interests. “I think people like
to run their own show, but it’s cru
cial to stick your head out of the
gypsy moth mire and see what’s
going on around you” Schultz
says.
For example, William McCarthy,
associate professor of entomology
and a molecular biologist, studies
how pesticides attach to the gut of
a gypsy moth. He often collabo
rates with Schultz and Heidi
Appel, a research associate in ento
mology, to research wilt disease, a
viral infection of gypsy moth
caterpillars.
Another collaborative effort
between Michael Foster, research
associate in entomology, and
Michael Saunders, associate pro
fessor of entomology, applies Fos-
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ter’s expertise in computer and
mathematical models for gypsy
moth populations to Saunders’
work in computer systems for aer
ial pesticide spraying.
Another cooperative project by
Karl Mierzejewski, research asso
ciate in entomology, centers on
improving the efficiency of pesti
cide sprays. Data from his aerial
tests also are used by Ralph
Mumma, distinguished professor
of environmental quality, to study
the occurrence and persistence of
pesticide residues.
Schultz says the group divides
its work into three categories: bio
logical controls for gypsy moths,
aerial application technology, and
information management (telling
landowners and others when to
spray).
The group’s work has also been
used for applications other than
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gypsy moth control. For instance,
the aerial spray group has used its
work on penetrating the forest tree
tops with pesticide to spraying
broccoli. “Broccoli has a canopy
too, but it’s only a foot off the
ground,’’ Schultz explains.
Schultz emphasizes that the
research group’s work still can
only add one piece at a time to a
biological jigsaw puzzle that is
largely unfinished. Such things as
controlling an outbreak or even
predicting a gypsy moth infesta
tion are merely pipe dreams for the
moment. “If I could predict a
gypsy moth outbreak. I’d be a rich
man,” Schultz says.
“Everybody has their pet theo
ries about gypsy moths,” he adds.
“The difference at Penn State is
that the person with the opposing
theory is just down the hall instead
of at another university.”
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