Gypsy Moth Information
Whitehouse Tree Commission  

A Gypsy Moth infestation has been found in Whitehouse.  Residents are asked to be alert to signs of this pest.  The newly hatched caterpillars are 1/8 inch long, hairy, and mostly dark brown to black.  They climb to the tops of trees and begin feeding.  If the tree is not to their liking, they will suspend themselves by a silken thread and wait for wind currents to take them to another tree.  In later stages they will develop very noticeable pairs of red and blue spots down their abdomen and can grow up to 3 inches long.   

The Gypsy Moth will feed on more than 300 species of trees and shrubs.   As it grows, it will strip foliage from the tree.  Gypsy Moths do NOT make tents or create mass webbing in tree crotches or branches.   

Deciduous trees defoliated by the Gypsy Moth are rarely killed.  As a rule, a healthy tree can tolerate three consecutive years of defoliation before it is killed.   Tree defoliation does decrease the energy reserve of the tree, reducing its ability to resist disease and insect pests to which it is normally resistant.  Evergreen trees, on the other hand, are frequently killed by one severe defoliation.   

In addition to weakening the tree, a Gypsy Moth infestation is a very unpleasant experience for home owners.   As the caterpillars eat and grow, they drop excrements below the tree.  This makes the usual yard activities almost impossible.   

If you would like additional information on the Gypsy Moth, or have an insect sample that you would like confirmed, please contact the Ohio State Extension Office located in the Toledo Botanical Gardens.   If you confirm that you have a Gypsy Moth infestation, please notify the Whitehouse Tree Commission by calling Village Hall at 419-877-5383.