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
Taxonomy Notes: Formerly referred to by a derogatory common name of "gypsy moth," which was removed from the Entomological Society of America's Common Names of Insects and Related Organisms List in July 2021.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 456 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 17, 2021
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: St. Lawrence County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Sep 19, 2021
Observation date: Jul 30, 2021
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 20, 2021
Observation date: Aug 16, 2021
Submitted by: atlasmoth3
Region: Onondaga County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: robpendergast
Region: Portage County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 09, 2021
Submitted by: npacadia
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 29, 2021
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Aug 05, 2021
Submitted by: keyofpel
Region: Kennebec County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 09, 2021
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 08, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2021
Submitted by: Shelly-Lee
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 07, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2021
Submitted by: RStankiewicz
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 07, 2021
Observation date: Jul 16, 2021
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 06, 2021
Observation date: Aug 05, 2021
Submitted by: RStankiewicz
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 06, 2021
Observation date: Jul 12, 2021
Submitted by: Mothra333
Region: Kenosha County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 06, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2021
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: Cayuga County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 30, 2021
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 30, 2021
Observation date: Jul 29, 2021
Submitted by: RStankiewicz
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 29, 2021
Observation date: Jul 26, 2021
Submitted by: RStankiewicz
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2021
Submitted by: Shane Miller
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2021
Submitted by: Shane Miller
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: David Trently
Region: Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: Rjfischer
Region: Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 22, 2021
Submitted by: RStankiewicz
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 23, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: kristasessions
Region: Cortland County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 23, 2021
Observation date: Jul 21, 2021
Submitted by: RStankiewicz
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 22, 2021
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