• Jennings, Daniel T.
  USFS Northeastern Forest Experiment Station
  
• Crawford, Hewlette S., Jr.
  USFS Northeastern Forest Experiment Station
  

The spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is the most destructive forest insect pest in eastern North America. Millions of acres of spruce-fir forests have been damaged by the spruce budworm in eastern Canada and in the North-central and Northeastern United States from Minnesota to Maine. recorded outbreaks of the budworm date back to the early 1700's; but in the 20th century, outbreaks are increasing in frequency, extent, and severity.

Enhancement of predators of the spruce budworm is a desirable feature of integrated pest management; however, before we can incorporate predator enhancement we need to know which predators are important, how effective they are in regulating budworm populations, and what their habitat requirements are. Ultimately, such information and understanding will lead to the identification and development of forest-management strategies that enhance predators of the spruce budworm.