Lymantria dispar

(Linnaeus, 1758)
Dispar Moth

Sort #: 2113 | P #: 930141 | MPG #: 8318 | PFG Page #: 288
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Larval feeding type: External feeder
Larval substrate: Quercus* (Oak), Quercus rubra* (Northern Red Oak), Malus* (Apple), and many other deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs
Phenology: Adult: 6/22 to 9/01 (806 records)

Comment: This species was brought over from Germany in the 1860s by a Frenchman, Étienne Léopold Trouvelot, for researching the possibility of using it for silk production. Unfortunately, the stock escaped in 1868 after a heavy storm destroyed the shed in Medford they were housed in. The Entomological Society of America now recommends the name 'Spongy Moth' for this species, which for more than two centuries was known as the 'Gypsy Moth'.

Status in MA (automated assessment): Widespread, very common
Status in N. America: Introduced
MA Endangered Species Act status: None
First Year Reported: 1868
Last Year Reported: 2026

Distribution by County: Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes, Nantucket
Number of Records: 2500