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 257 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 15, 2017
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 16, 2017
Observation date: Aug 13, 2017
Submitted by: Nukegrrl
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 13, 2017
Observation date: Aug 05, 2017
Submitted by: satchmo0802
Region: Ulster County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 09, 2017
Observation date: Jul 22, 2017
Submitted by: JohnRoosenberg
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 08, 2017
Observation date: May 27, 2017
Submitted by: kimyuri1025
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 06, 2017
Observation date: Aug 06, 2017
Submitted by: Mandy_wiseman@h...
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 06, 2017
Observation date: Aug 02, 2017
Submitted by: papachung
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 05, 2017
Observation date: Aug 04, 2017
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 04, 2017
Observation date: Aug 01, 2017
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 01, 2017
Observation date: Jul 23, 2017
Submitted by: davidkelly449
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 28, 2017
Observation date: Jul 02, 2017
Submitted by: scwilso35
Region: Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 28, 2017
Observation date: Jul 26, 2017
Submitted by: monikawood
Region: Steuben County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 27, 2017
Observation date: Jul 23, 2017
Submitted by: WayneG
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 26, 2017
Observation date: Jul 23, 2017
Submitted by: Tony DeSantis
Region: Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 24, 2017
Observation date: Jul 15, 2017
Submitted by: Canuq
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 18, 2017
Observation date: Jul 11, 2017
Submitted by: JeffThomas
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2017
Observation date: Jul 09, 2017
Submitted by: vladsmith
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 10, 2017
Observation date: Jul 05, 2017
Submitted by: purplechickadee
Region: Passaic County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 05, 2017
Observation date: Jun 10, 2017
Submitted by: KSayles
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 03, 2017
Observation date: Jun 15, 2017
Submitted by: Ru_anthrogirl
Region: Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 02, 2017
Observation date: Jul 01, 2016
Submitted by: Bennet
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 30, 2017
Observation date: May 28, 2017
Submitted by: Jen
Region: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 28, 2017
Observation date: Aug 04, 2014
Submitted by: pmurray007
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Apr 17, 2017
Observation date: Jul 18, 2014
Submitted by: RachelTheFraidyCat
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Mar 17, 2017
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