The Gypsy Moth has been found in a subdivision in Lisle.  The infestation is currently contained and the Department of Agriculture has been notified.  Gypsy Moth larvae feed on the leaves of trees, causing major defoliation.  Depending on the health of the tree and the number of consecutive defoliations, a tree can either survive and experience only a slight reduction in radial growth or weaken and die.

Egg Mass Identification

Egg Masses are tan with a hairy, spongy-like texture.  They vary in length between 1 and 1 1/2 inches and contain between 500 to 1000 eggs.  Egg masses are found in sheltered locations on trees, buildings, garden equipment, and outdoor furniture. 

Larva Identification

Larvae are black or brown and about 1/4 inch in length.  Each of the 11 sections of a developed larvae will have two colored spots, the first five pairs, blue, and the last six, red.  Mature larvae can be as long as 2 1/2 inches.

Pupa Identification

Pupae have a reddish-brown shell and attach themselves to surfaces with silk threads.  Female pupas are larger than male pupas.

Moth Identification

Male gypsy moths are brownish gray with brown irregular lines and dark brown dots along the outer wing margins.  They have a wingspan of approximately 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches and have the ability to fly.  Female gypsy moths are yellowish and have narrow, wavy lines and dark brown dots paralleling the outer wing margins.  They have a windspan of 1 1/8 to 2 1/2 inches, and cannot fly.

Host Trees

Gypsy moths prefer oak, aspen, maple, and elm trees, but also feed on apple, sweetgum, speckled alder, basswood, gray and white birch, poplar, willow, and hawthorn trees.  They avoid ash, yellow-poplar, sycamore, butternut, black walnut, catalpa, flowering dogwood, balsam fir, red cedar, American holly, and shrubs.

Identify your property's trees with help from the National Arbor Day Foundation Site

Prevention and Care

-Remove objects around the outside of the home that provide shelter for gypsy moth larvae and pupae, such as flaps of bark, dead tree branched, dead trees, boxes, cans, or old tires.

-Diversify the composition of trees and plants on your property to include species not preferred by the gypsy moth.

-Destroy egg masses found on outbuildings, on fencing, or in woodpiles.  Simply scraping egg masses onto the ground will not destroy them.  Burn them or soak them in kerosene or soapy water, or plant them with commercially available products, such as liquid detergents.  Caution is urged because the hairs that coat the egg masses can cause allergic reactions.

-Place burlap on trees to provide shelter for older larvae when they seek out protected resting places during the day.  The number of larvae and pupae under the burlap provides valuable information about the severity of infestation on your property.  When populations are sparse, larvae and pupae beneath burlap can be manually destroyed.

-Use barrier bands, consisting of double-sided sticky tapes or sticky material such as Tangle foot, petroleum jelly, or grease to prevent larvae from crawling up the trunks of susceptible trees.  These products should be applied to the surface of an impermeable material, such as duct tape or tar paper, and not applied directly to the bark.  Petroleum-based products can cause injury (swelling and cankering) on thin-barked trees.

Notify the Village for verification or for more information

If you suspect your trees may be infested, please notify the Village of Lisle Public Works Department.

	Public Works Operations	630-271-4180
	Public Works Administration	630-271-4170
	Village Arborist	630-271-4175

For More Information on the Gypsy Moth:

U.S. Department of Agriculture