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:
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 25 - 48 of 601 verified sightings
Observation date: May 21, 2024
Submitted by: a.d.levine
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 21, 2024
Observation date: May 09, 2024
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 09, 2024
Observation date: May 01, 2024
Submitted by: Amcenhill
Region: Dutchess County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 01, 2024
Observation date: Jul 24, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 25, 2024
Observation date: Jul 29, 2023
Submitted by: alaimins
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 19, 2023
Observation date: Aug 29, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Van Buren County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 10, 2023
Observation date: Jun 18, 2023
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Livingston County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: Jacksenzig
Region: Adams County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 05, 2023
Observation date: Jul 19, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 02, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 30, 2023
Observation date: Jul 22, 2023
Submitted by: Shane Miller
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 24, 2023
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Juneau County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
Observation date: Jul 13, 2023
Submitted by: DNADEB
Region: Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 13, 2023
Observation date: Jul 11, 2023
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 12, 2023
Observation date: Jul 11, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 11, 2023
Observation date: Jul 08, 2023
Submitted by: rtsmith
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 09, 2023
Observation date: Jul 07, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 07, 2023
Observation date: Jul 07, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 07, 2023
Observation date: Jul 07, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 12, 2023
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jun 27, 2023
Observation date: Jun 19, 2023
Submitted by: a.d.levine
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 20, 2023
Observation date: Jun 18, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 18, 2023
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: getherington
Region: Putnam County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 10, 2023
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