Gypsy moth caterpillars are in Western New York and the outbreak is wrecking havoc across New York State. State Department of Environmental Conservation Forester Rob Cole said gypsy moths are a non-native insect. It was introduced in New England during the mid-1800s for silk production.
Cole said the moth has been around long enough that it does have some natural predators now, “A couple natural enemies here being a virus and a fungus that kind of keep it in check. So we end up with these periodic outbreaks every ten to 15 years or so when the conditions are just right for the gypsy moths to really get those outbreak populations.”
Cole said the moths start out as caterpillars that grow to a size of 2 inches or more, “Aside from Oak, they’ll go after Aspen, Willow, Apples. And then in the absence of those favored hosts, they’ll move over to Blue Spruce, White Pine, even Hemlock trees. So we’re seeing some significant damage of those alternate hosts. A lot of the Oaks have been fed on, so we’re seeing them move onto Pine and Spruce, we’ve seen that quite a bit.”
While large wooded areas probably would need to be sprayed, Cole said there are some suggestions they have for homeowners, “When they are young, you can put sticky bands on your trees. As they get older and they’re looking for a place to pupate, that’s the folded over burlap wrapped around trees and they get up in there to pupate under there.”
Cole added that if you’re seeing gypsy moth caterpillars on your property that you’re encouraged to submit a report to the State DEC by emailing foresthealth@dec.ny.gov
No, do not use sticky bands!! They trap and kill or injure non-targeted creatures like birds, chipmunks, good insects, etc.