First occurrence around Medford, Massachusetts (1888)Progressive spread of the gypsy moth (L. dispar) across north east US from 1900 to 2007; compiled from county data by US Forest Service
The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), also known as the spongy moth, was introduced in 1868 into the United States by Étienne Léopold Trouvelot, a French scientist living in Medford, Massachusetts. Because native silk-spinning caterpillars were susceptible to disease, Trouvelot imported the species in order to breed a more resistant hybrid species. Some of the moths escaped, found suitable habitat, and began breeding. The gypsy moth is now a major pest of hardwood trees in the Eastern United States.[1]
The first US outbreak occurred in 1889 in the New England states. In 1923 attempts were made to prevent the westward spread of the moth by maintaining a barrier zone extending from Canada to Long Island of nearly 27,300 km2. This barrier however broke down by 1939.[2] By 1987, the gypsy moth had established itself throughout the Northeastern United States, southern Quebec, and Ontario. The insect has now spread into Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Small, isolated infestations have sporadically occurred in Utah, Oregon, Washington,[3] California, and British Columbia, but efforts have been taken to eradicate them.[citation needed][3] As of 2021[update] the Washington State Department of Agriculture is again trying to eradicate both L. d. d. and L. d. asiatica – using Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) toxin – to prevent their establishment in the state.[3]
Since 1980, the gypsy moth has defoliated over one million acres (4,000 km2) of forest each year. In 1981, 12.9 million acres (52,200 km2) were defoliated. In wooded suburban areas, during periods of infestation, gypsy moth larvae crawl over man-made obstacles and sometimes enter homes.[4] When feeding, they leave behind a mixture of small pieces of leaves and frass, or excrement. During outbreaks, the sound of caterpillars chewing and dropping frass may be loud enough to sound like light to moderate rainfall.[5] Gypsy moth populations usually remain low, but occasional increases to very high levels can result in partial or total defoliation of host trees.[6]
According to a 2011 report, the gypsy moth is now one of the most destructive insects in the Eastern United States; it and other foliage-eating pests cause an estimated $868 million in annual damages in the U.S.[7]
^"Gypsy Moth". Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
^McFadden, Max W.; McManus, Michael E. (1991). "An insect out of control? The potential for spread and establishment of the Gypsy moth in new forest areas in the United States". In Baranchikov, Y.N.; Mattson, W.J.; Hain, F.P.; Payne, T.L. (eds.). Forest Insect Guilds: Patterns of Interaction with Host Trees(PDF). U.S. Dep. Agric. For. Serv. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-153.
^ abcCite error: The named reference Btk-Wash-State-eradication was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^M. McManus; N. Schneeberger; R. Reardon; G. Mason (October 1989). "Forest Insect & Disease Leaflet 162 – Gypsy Moth". U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
^"How and Why Gypsy Moth Treatment Sites are Selected" (PDF). Wisconsin Cooperative Gypsy Moth Program. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
^"An Atlas of Historical Gypsy Moth Defoliation & Quarantined Areas in the US". USDA Forest Service. 2003-02-05. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
^Aukema, Juliann E.; Leung, Brian; Kovacs, Kent; Chivers, Corey; Britton, Kerry O.; Englin, Jeffrey; Frankel, Susan J.; Haight, Robert G.; Holmes, Thomas P.; Liebhold, Andrew M.; McCullough, Deborah G.; Von Holle, Betsy; Gratwicke, Brian (September 9, 2011). Gratwicke, Brian (ed.). "Economic Impacts of Non-Native Forest Insects in the Continental United States". PLOS ONE. 6 (9): e24587. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...624587A. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0024587. PMC 3170362. PMID 21931766.
Leighton Walter Kille (September 15, 2011). "Economic impacts of non-native forest insects in the Continental United States". Journalist's Resource.
and 25 Related for: Gypsy moths in the United States information
TheGypsyMoths is a 1969 American drama film, based on the 1955 novel of the same name by James Drought and directed by John Frankenheimer. The film tells...
conspectus of the butterflies and moths found in Britain: BHL page 42183122. TheGypsyMoth: Research Toward Integrated Pest Management, UnitedStates Department...
known as thegypsymoth, European gypsymoth, LDD moth, or (in North America) North American gypsymoth or spongy moth, is a species of mothinthe family...
Republicans." Inthe 1980s, the term gypsymoth Republican described Republicans from the Northeast and Midwest who voted against the Ronald Reagan administration's...
teachers to cover staff absences during the operation. Invasive species in New Zealand GypsymothsintheUnitedStates "Eradicated - Lymantria dispar". Biosecurity...
control for the invasive species spongy moth (formerly known as gypsymoth) appears to have had a negative impact on luna moths and other native moths. Eggs...
was produced by female moths, such as the spongy and nun moths. It is a sex pheromone, a chemical that was released by themothsin order to attract a male...
Events from the year 1960 intheUnitedStates. President: Dwight D. Eisenhower (R-Kansas/Pennsylvania) Vice President: Richard Nixon (R-California) Chief...
Hyalophora cecropia, the cecropia moth, is North America's largest native moth. It is a member of the family Saturniidae, or giant silk moths. Females have been...
been observed to parasitize moths such as Cadra calidella—in laboratory experiments working with C. calidella, many of themoths were diseased due to this...
exist for firewood across the Eastern UnitedStatesin an attempt to halt the spread of the emerald ash borer, gypsymoth, oak wilt, and others. Transporting...
Americans were born intheUnitedStates; they make up 53% of the total population of foreign-born Hispanic Americans and 25% of the total foreign-born...
particularly forest tent caterpillar moths, boll weevils, gypsymoths, and other types of moths. It is a widely used larvicide in India for control of mosquito...
S2CID 19702985. Susan Mahr (September 1999). "Compsilura concinnata, parasitoid of gypsymoth". Midwest Biological Control News Online. 6 (9). University of Wisconsin–Madison...
Moths, type if known, and any history of the airframe: William N. Thibault of Newport Beach, CA owns a registered 1935 Tiger Moth DH82A with a Gypsy Moth...
on moths, with other insect taxa also consumed. They consume known pests, including gypsymoths, tent caterpillar moths, Cydia moths, Acrobasis moths, cutworm...
dagger moth are gypsymoths (Lymantria dispar) and parasitoids such as compsilura (Compsilura concinnata). Spraying for mosquitoes (Culicidae) and gypsy moths...
host of thegypsymoth, tree death occurs when near-complete defoliation by thegypsymoth is followed by an infestation of Armillaria fungus. The ambrosia...
Klinger states that he understands babies. He adds: "It's theGypsyin my soul". In "Settling Debts" (aired 6 December 1982), Colonel Potter tells the story...
The airfield was used for several scenes from the 1969 movie TheGypsyMoths. In early 2010, a restaurant, Stearman Field Bar & Grill, opened on the airport...
TheGypsy Morph is a fantasy novel by American writer Terry Brooks, the third in his trilogy entitled The Genesis of Shannara, which bridges the events...
and The Sand Pebbles (1966) with Steve McQueen. His other film credits included TheGypsyMoths (1969) with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr, The Naked...