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 361 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 09, 2020
Submitted by: Baggiobatworld
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 31, 2020
Observation date: Jul 30, 2020
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 31, 2020
Observation date: Jul 31, 2020
Submitted by: Don Marotte
Region: Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 31, 2020
Observation date: Jul 12, 2020
Submitted by: rarecat
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 28, 2020
Observation date: Jul 23, 2020
Submitted by: Sparkle Butterflies
Region: Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 28, 2020
Observation date: Jul 26, 2020
Submitted by: Pamela Katch
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 28, 2020
Observation date: Jul 26, 2020
Submitted by: monikawood
Region: Steuben County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 27, 2020
Observation date: Jul 26, 2020
Submitted by: hackberry
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 27, 2020
Observation date: Jul 25, 2020
Submitted by: NNing
Region: Geauga County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2020
Observation date: Jul 25, 2020
Submitted by: Colin Gillette
Region: Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 25, 2020
Observation date: Jul 20, 2020
Submitted by: Jenny Leat
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2020
Observation date: Jul 25, 2020
Submitted by: MSMSM
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2020
Observation date: Jul 25, 2020
Submitted by: MSMSM
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2020
Observation date: Jul 24, 2020
Submitted by: RStankiewicz
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2020
Observation date: Jul 19, 2020
Submitted by: lalondesa
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 23, 2020
Observation date: Jul 23, 2020
Submitted by: vvryabyy
Region: Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 23, 2020
Observation date: Jul 23, 2020
Submitted by: vvryabyy
Region: Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 23, 2020
Observation date: Jul 21, 2020
Submitted by: TJ in Derry
Region: Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 22, 2020
Observation date: Jul 19, 2020
Submitted by: Cyrus Li
Region: Montgomery County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 20, 2020
Observation date: Jul 18, 2020
Submitted by: RStankiewicz
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 19, 2020
Observation date: Jul 15, 2020
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 18, 2020
Observation date: Jul 12, 2020
Submitted by: curious123
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 13, 2020
Observation date: Jul 09, 2020
Submitted by: David Badger
Region: Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 09, 2020
Observation date: Jul 07, 2020
Submitted by: rapids.smith@gm...
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 07, 2020
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