Forest Health Fact Sheet

Gypsy Moth
Identification
The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), gets its name from a behavior of its
larger caterpillars, which generally migrate each day from the leaves and down
the branches and trunk to rest in shaded spots on the tree or objects on the
ground. Tiny, black young caterpillars are windblown to their food plants,
where they will feed day and night but older stages of the caterpillars feed only
at night to avoid drying out in the hot sun or being
eaten by predators. Mature gypsy moth caterpillars
are dark and have dark hairs, but you can clearly see
the five pairs of dark blue spots and six pairs of
brick red spots along the back. They also have a thin
yellow median stripe along the length of their back.
Larva growth stages
Mature gypsy moth larva
Lifecycle
Gypsy moth has one generation per year, and includes egg, caterpillar,
pupa and adult stages. Female moths lay egg masses on tree boles,
branches, vehicles, houses, and other structures, and this aids their spread
to new areas. Egg masses are buff-colored after they are initially deposited
in late summer, but they become lighter in color as they bleach in the sun.
Egg mass size may indicate population
trends. When populations are declining,
most egg masses are around inch long and Adult female and male
contain about 100 eggs, while building
populations have 1 inch long egg masses
containing up to a thousand eggs. Gypsy moths
survive the winter in the egg stage and hatch
from mid-April to mid-May in Pennsylvania
when temperatures are above 60 degrees
Fahrenheit. During the day, they rest under leaf
Egg masses and pupae cases
litter and bark crevices near the bottom of the
tree. Older caterpillars are able to eat conifers, while younger stages are usually
found on deciduous hosts. Mature caterpillars pupate from mid June through
early July in Pennsylvania. Mice, shrews, and ground beetles eat the pupae, and
are an important regulator of gypsy moth in this stage.

Adult gypsy moths emerge about two weeks after pupating. Adults only live
Adult female laying eggs
about a week, and do not feed. Female gypsy moths use
chemicals to attract a mate soon after they emerge. They lay eggs about a day after
mating. Adult gypsy moth males have feathery antennae and brown wings and are able to
fly to find females, while cream-colored females of European gypsy moths cannot fly
and have threadlike antennae. There is also an Asian variety of gypsy moth with flying
females that have luckily been eradicated in Western North America on several
occasions following accidental introductions.
It is fairly easy to identify gypsy moth because colors of caterpillars, adults, and egg
masses
are so distinct. Also, egg masses are large compared to those laid by most insects.
Pupae
Therefore, it is possible to predict defoliation for the following spring and prepare a
suppression program to reduce the numbers of caterpillars. Caterpillars favor oak but will feed on the foliage

of many tree species, including some conifers. However, there are some trees such as ash, tulip poplar,
dogwood, and black locust on which they will not feed. Defoliation by caterpillars of gypsy moth weakens
trees, because without leaves the trees are not able to manufacture food. Weakened trees are susceptible to
bark beetles and root diseases that can kill them.
History
Gypsy moth was introduced from Europe into Medford, Massachusetts in 1869 by Leopold Trouvelot, who
was attempting to breed the insect for silk production. Unfortunately, some of the caterpillars escaped from
his backyard rearing facility, and by the early 1900's they began defoliating large areas of New England.
Gypsy moth was first discovered in Pennsylvania near Pittston, in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties in
1932. During the 30's and 40's it continued to spread to Pike, Lackawanna, Wayne, Monroe, and Carbon
counties. By 1969, it had spread west of the Susquehanna River, and by 1980, 38 Pennsylvania counties were
infested. The gypsy moth has now moved beyond our state. It is found as far west as Minnesota, with
populations reaching outbreak levels every 5-10 years.
Controls
Various natural environmental factors help control gypsy moth in North America.
A disease-causing fungus known as Entomophaga maimaiga was first introduced
in 1910-1911 to control gypsy moth. This fungus only affects select families of
moth caterpillars that encounter infected soil and plants or through contact with
other infected caterpillars. The spores of the fungus germinate in the spring and
work best if rain is abundant. E. maimaiga was responsible for widespread gypsy
moth mortality in 1989 and 1990, when wetter than normal conditions were
reported in May. Since this time, E. maimaiga has become a significant regulator
of gypsy moth populations at both low and high densities. Researchers are unsure
whether the increased prevalence of the fungus is due to its initial introduction or
if it is the result of a more recent reintroduction into the US. Older gypsy moth
caterpillars that die as a result of the fungus die in a vertical position with their
legs sticking outward.
Larva killed by fungus

A nucleopolyhedrosis virus (LdMNPV) kills enough gypsy moth caterpillars when

populations are high to eventually end an outbreak. Caterpillars must eat the viral
particles in order to become infected. Caterpillars infected with LdMNPV die in an
inverted V position, which explains why the common name for LdMNPV is "the
wilt". The activity of LdMNPV is specific in that it only kills gypsy moth caterpillars.
A large metallic green ground beetle known as
Calosoma sycophanta was introduced into New
England from Europe for gypsy moth control in 1906. It
is now established throughout Pennsylvania. C.
sycophanta larvae and adults eat older gypsy moth
caterpillars that rest in the leaf litter during the daytime.

Larva killed by virus

Other factors can impact of oak forests. Other insects, such as oak leafroller,
oak leaf tier, two lined chestnut borer, and oak sawflies, as well as pathogenic
fungi such as oak wilt and Armillaria can compound the impact of gypsy moth. In addition, high deer
populations in Pennsylvania make oak regeneration a challenge.
Calosoma sycophanta

For the latest information on gypsy moth and other forest pest consult the most recent
Pennsylvania Forest Health Report
posted on the DCNR-Bureau of Forestry web site.

www.dcnr.state.pa.us