Gypsy Moth
Lymantria dispar (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Erebidae
Subfamily: Lymantriinae
Identification: Sexually dimorphic: female much larger and lighter in color. Forewing brown with yellowish overlay in male. Hindwing yellowish to reddish brown. Reniform spot consists of three black spots (usually merged) in both sexes; black orbicular dot also present. Wings whitish in female, with deeply scalloped gray lines and black spots. Terminal line a series of black dots on forewing and hindwing.
Wing Span: 3-4 cm in males; 5.6-6.7 cm in females.
Life History: Larvae can defoliate large tracts of forests in peak years. In woods where larvae are numerous, you can actually hear them feeding.
Flight:
Caterpillar Hosts: Oaks are preferred. Also alder, apple, basswood, birches, box elder, hawthorn, hazelnut, larch, mountain-ash, poplars, rose bushes, sumac, willows, and witch-hazel.
Adult Food:
Habitat: Forests.
Range: Deliberately introduced from Europe at Medford, Massachusetts in 1868 or 1869 by Leopold Trouvelot, who hoped to raise this moth for silk production. Now, established from Nova Scotia to North Carolina and Florida, west to Michigan, Illinois, and Missouri. Range is expanding.
Conservation:
NCGR:
Management Needs:
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 398 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 16, 2019
Submitted by: Letado
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 20, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2006
Submitted by: Peter Homann
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 17, 2021
Observation date: Aug 09, 2016
Submitted by: Meluah
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 11, 2021
Observation date: Aug 09, 2015
Submitted by: psteeves
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 26, 2020
Submitted by: Jacksenzig
Region: Allegan County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 21, 2021
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: Forest
Region: Aroostook County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 20, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2018
Submitted by: scottreidnelson
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 07, 2021
Observation date: Jul 26, 2017
Submitted by: Sifaka333
Region: Ottawa County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 06, 2021
Observation date: Jul 08, 2017
Submitted by: Jmierendorf
Region: Ionia County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 06, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2007
Submitted by: w
Region: Menominee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 22, 2019
Submitted by: Aldamir
Region: Wayne County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2019
Submitted by: elbauxgrease
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Jul 07, 2020
Submitted by: MarkNenadov
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Jul 21, 2020
Submitted by: leepj
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 16, 2019
Submitted by: Birdyboy
Region: Muskegon County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 01, 2021
Observation date: May 16, 2017
Submitted by: Jeremymoth515
Region: Providence County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 27, 2020
Submitted by: j.graff98
Region: Providence County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 04, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2015
Submitted by: Jmaciel
Region: Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 04, 2021
Observation date: May 22, 2014
Submitted by: a-o
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2020
Submitted by: mitkin26
Region: Chittenden County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 29, 2020
Observation date: Jul 08, 2018
Submitted by: Peter McCarty
Region: Tolland County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 26, 2020
Observation date: Jun 17, 2016
Submitted by: EeyoreWG
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 23, 2020
Observation date: Jun 13, 2014
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 14, 2020
Observation date: Jul 23, 2017
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 14, 2020
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