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 296 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 28, 2018
Submitted by: franpope
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 21, 2018
Observation date: Jul 14, 2018
Submitted by: Ilona L.
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Oct 19, 2018
Observation date: Sep 07, 2018
Submitted by: mikeminium
Region: Price County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Oct 16, 2018
Observation date: Aug 08, 2018
Submitted by: NatalyaG
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Oct 08, 2018
Observation date: Jul 18, 2018
Submitted by: ddrudis
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 25, 2018
Observation date: Jul 14, 2018
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Bath County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 29, 2018
Observation date: Aug 08, 2018
Submitted by: Reiner Jakubowski
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 22, 2018
Observation date: Jun 29, 2018
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 17, 2018
Observation date: Jul 26, 2018
Submitted by: crx2aj3
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 14, 2018
Observation date: Jul 07, 2018
Submitted by: FZ1000mothnut
Region: Lake County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 11, 2018
Observation date: Jul 27, 2018
Submitted by: johngor
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 10, 2018
Observation date: Aug 05, 2018
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 07, 2018
Observation date: Jul 24, 2018
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 03, 2018
Observation date: Jul 23, 2018
Submitted by: whhowe
Region: Ontario County, New York, United States
Verified by: layberry
Verified date: Jul 31, 2018
Observation date: Jul 30, 2018
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 31, 2018
Observation date: Jul 25, 2018
Submitted by: TK
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 29, 2018
Observation date: Jul 24, 2018
Submitted by: srodday
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 26, 2018
Observation date: Jul 25, 2018
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 26, 2018
Observation date: Jul 24, 2018
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 24, 2018
Observation date: Jul 19, 2018
Submitted by: Reiner Jakubowski
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 21, 2018
Observation date: Jul 17, 2018
Submitted by: a.d.levine
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 20, 2018
Observation date: Jul 15, 2018
Submitted by: Tony DeSantis
Region: Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 19, 2018
Observation date: Jul 16, 2018
Submitted by: Paul F. J. Eagles
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 17, 2018
Observation date: Jul 08, 2018
Submitted by: the meowking
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 16, 2018
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