In states where there are significant infestations, the gypsy moth caterpillars have defoliated entire forests and caused millions of dollars worth of damage to urban landscapes, according to the ...

It’s the caterpillar stage of the spongy moths, also known to entomologists and lepidopterists as “Lymantria dispar” and formerly as gypsy moths, which can cause the most harm to local trees.

A gypsy moth caterpillar crawls along partially eaten leaves of a tree in Trenton, N.J. The spongy moth caterpillar has a yellow and black head, a hairy body with pairs of blue spots, followed by ...

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) has proposed treating more than 17,000 acres of forest land in the state, ...

Large numbers of caterpillars are expected in the 2025 treatment areas. It is likely that many already stressed trees will not be able to withstand additional heavy defoliation and will die.

The 2011 treatments are part of a national “Slow the Spread” project, which seeks to reduce the populations of gypsy moths infesting America’s forests. MDA will use a method of “mating ...