Gypsy Moth: Should we be worried?

Connie Jackson, Erie County Master Gardener The gypsy moth is marching our way.Currently, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, 51 of our 88 Ohio counties are regulated under the Gypsy Moth Quarantine. The USDA Forest Service estimates that gypsy moths are spreading in deciduous hardwood forests at a rate of approximately 13 miles per year.Tim Malinich, Erie County OSU Extension Educator, reports that calls to the Extension Office indicate hot spots in Vermilion and Castalia with some defoliating populations. He added that the gypsy moth has been a building problem for a couple of years with smaller hot spots in the Milan area.Just what is a gypsy moth and what is the big deal?The European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is a non-native, invasive species that has moved into Ohio from Pennsylvania and Michigan over the years. The Ohio Department of Agriculture warns that gypsy moths defoliate over 300 species of trees and shrubs. Female adult gypsy moths lay eggs under the bark of a tree where they overwinter. Newly hatched caterpillars hang from the trees on threads of silk. The blowing wind easily transports them to nearby trees where their feeding continues. The larvae are nocturnal, feeding at night and hiding under bark during the day. When they eat, they will nearly defoliate a tree. Healthy trees will produce new leaves but run the risk of being attacked again. A healthy deciduous tree can usually withstand only two years of defoliation before damage impacts the overall health of the tree or causes mortality. The gypsy moth is especially fond of oak trees. The insect is also known to attack certain evergreens, especially spruce, killing those types of trees in a single season if population levels are high enough.The species originally evolved in Europe and Asia and has existed there for thousands of years. In either 1868 or 1869, the gypsy moth was accidentally introduced near Boston by E. Leopold Trouvelot. About 10 years after this introduction, the first outbreaks began in Trouvelot's neighborhood, and in 1890 the state and federal government began their attempts to eradicate the gypsy moth. These attempts ultimately failed and since that time, the range of gypsy moth has continued to spread.An article from the Buckeye Lawn and Garden Online newsletter indicates that the first male moths were trapped in 1971 in Ashtabula County in northeast Ohio. Two years later, the first chemical treatments were implemented to eradicate localized populations. Between 1973 and 1987, eradication efforts continued, but populations still grew despite these efforts. In 1987, Ashtabula County became the first Ohio county to have gypsy moth quarantine regulations imposed on it.Two years later in 1989, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), in conjunction with the USDA-Forest Service, initiated the Gypsy Moth Suppression Program in the Buckeye State. This program still exists today as a way for landowners in areas considered generally infested to voluntarily receive assistance in suppression activities targeted at this exotic insect.So, what can we do?Tim Malinich, Extension Educator, will be hosting a meeting open to the public 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, from in the basement meeting room of the Erie County Services Building at 2900 Columbus Ave., Sandusky. The featured speaker will be David Adkins, Ohio Department of Agriculture, who will discuss control measures and the ODA Suppression Program for severely infested areas.Tim will address the background and history of the gypsy moth and its life cycle. No registration is required for the program and it is free. Malinich explained that larger areas with defoliating populations may qualify for the ODA control program but homeowners must apply as a group. The meeting will provide the details. Application for the ODA control is September 1.Questions? Call the Extension Office at 419-627-7321 or visit agri.ohio.gov.