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Lymantria dispar (Lymantriidae)gypsy mothAdults:
Pupae:
Larvae:Eggs:Damage:
Principal Hosts:Larvae will feed on more than 100 species of trees (usually hardwoods) and shrubs, although feeding may occur on softwoods in mixed stands.Economic Importance:The gypsy moth has been a serious problem in the eastern Canada and U.S. for over 100 years and now directly threatens western forests.For background information about the diligent trapping survey programs and Btk treatment procedures that are in place in BC to prevent permanent establishment of the Gypsy Moth, see the BC Ministry of Forests' website, Gypsy Moth in BC. Be sure to visit the Gypsy Moth History Page. References and Links:EAG: 473-476; FC: 228.For more information about the biology of L. dispar, see the first part of PFC Forest Pest Leaflet 75. For a general account of the gypsy moth in BC from the Canadian Forest Service, plus linkages to pages about the gypsy moth threat and quarantine measures, see the second part of PFC Forest Pest Leaflet 75. The Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar, in North America, is Sandy Liebhold's in-depth account of the origins and spread of the European gypsy moth in North America, its effects on forest vegetation as well as management options. The Asian Gypsy Moth Project describes the efforts to control the moth in the Eastern USA. Learn how eastern North America is limiting the spread of the gypsy moth through the Slow the Spread Project. Additional Images:
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