By: Fred Lishman

Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Brought to the US between 1868 and 1869 by Professor L. Trouvelot. To breed hybrid silkworms to establish a Silk industry in the United States. By 1865 Trouvelot had over a Million Caterpillars. In 1869 some escaped and started to spread rapidly his hometown of Medford Massachusetts.

By 1914 they had spread to New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Connecticut they were in Northeastern Pennsylvania and in extreme eastern New York State 1981 they were all over Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Also they have spread to Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia, West Virginia, and Oregon.

Has four life stages Eggs Larva Pupa Adult

Egg stage, female gypsy moths will lay as much as 1,000 eggs in August. Egg mass is covered with a Buff- colored hair to protect the eggs Larva will start to develop during worm days after the eggs are laid Dormant in Winter. Eggs will hatch in mid May.

Also known as the caterpillar stage. About 1.5 to 2 inches long Looks worm like and covered in stiff hairs When they are young they are black As they develop, colored wart looking spots appear on their back. The warts are red on the back half and blue towards the head.

AKA the Metaphoric stage In the shell the body of the caterpillar is changing into an adult moth Outer shell is reddish brown Attaches itself to a rock, tree trunk, board, logs etc. this stage occurs for about 10 to 14 days.

This stage of life lasts from July into August. Females are a cream color wings a brown body and a 2 inch wing span Females cannot fly Males are smaller than females 1.5 inch wing span Are brown with a feathery antennae. One generation per year

Completely destroys all leafy plants while in the Larva stage Defoliates trees Can eat up to one square foot of leaves per day Stresses trees Some trees they like are… Crab apple, Oak, Linden, Poplar, Beech, Willow, Birch Some trees they hardly bother are… Ash, Sycamore, Indian bean, Honeylocust, and Dogwood.

Not exactly… Infestations will stress a tree However many infestations on the same tree will eventually kill it

Natural predators Birds Viral disease “wilt” Entomopathogenic fungus Mice Shrew Humans Spray DCNR Targets over 100,ooo acres per year all over Pennsylvania Cut out and burn egg masses Put a barrier around a tree with a sticky substance. Duct tape

ymoth.shtml ymoth.shtml x.aspx x.aspx