All About Gypsy Moths

I remember the summer quite clearly, though I don’t remember how old I was at the time. What I remember was that I had to wear a hat outside almost everyday when I went out to play. Though hats are always a good idea to prevent sunburn, back then I wore one for a completely different reason.

Gypsy moths were very high in number that year, and I lived and played in a heavily wooded area. Almost every tree was home to large gypsy moth nests, and they were doing great damage to the trees in my area. The hat was to keep them out of my hair. If a caterpillar got into my natural curls, it was almost impossible to get it out without squishing it. What a mess.

This year, I am finding them everywhere again. My daughter wanted to investigate a miniature golf course behind an ice cream store, and there were gypsy moth caterpillars everywhere. While she was fascinated with the creepy crawler, I was taken back to my childhood.

Gypsy moths are most prevalent in the northeastern United States, but can be found anywhere. They thrive on many varieties of tree and shrub but seem to prefer oak, willow and aspen trees, and can be quite devastating to forest areas if numbers are high. The larva can completely wipe out a tree’s foliage, sometimes causing death to the tree.

If you have trees on your property, gypsy moths may become a huge worry for you. There are several things you can do to prevent damage and lower the amounts found in your treetops. If left unchecked, they can do a lot of damage in just one season.

A healthy tree is more likely to live through the damage caused by gypsy moth larva. Keep your trees pruned and fertilized. If you find any sort of fungus or other damage, have it treated immediately to keep your trees in tip-top shape.

The Ohio State University website suggests that property owners should find and destroy the eggs of the gypsy moth during the month of December. These eggs can be found on the tree, and attached to many of outdoor surfaces including outdoor furniture and the sides of buildings.

The eggs are found in a bunch that is may be the size of a grape. They mass will be light brownish in color and will appear to have a furry surface. You can find them in groups or alone. The mass can be destroyed by burying them at least a foot down in soil. Burning or immersing in detergent can also destroy the eggs.

Gypsy moths can also be controlled with Bt. Bt is a bacteria that will have a detrimental effect on populations of gypsy moths without causing any damage to your trees or property. Bt will not harm animals, people, or plants. It must be sprayed on the tree leaves and ingested by the gypsy moth larva to be effective.

Contact your local tree specialist for help with gypsy moths if they have become a problem on your property. They can help you spray and offer other alternatives to help you lower the amount found in your trees. You will never be rid of them completely, but you can minimize the damage they can do.