Gypsy Moths are small insects with a ferocious appetite. They’ll eat most any type of tree and their spring feeding frenzy can defoliate forests. Though their damaging behavior is most prevalent for 2-3 months each year, the impact of their feeding can be long lasting. This article will provide some basic facts about gypsy moths and then offer treatment options to help control and contain local infestations.

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GYPSY MOTH HISTORY ^

Gypsy moths are not native to North America. Brought to Massachusetts back around 1869, they were imported for the intention of silk farming. Some escaped and the impact of their presence was soon discovered across our countryside.

Gypsy moths have a ferocious appetite and combined with a strong ability to reproduce, it didn’t take long for them to migrate across our country. Presently they are active as far south as Florida and they continue to migrate through the Midwest toward the west coast.

They can feed on most any type of tree including oak, apple, beech, birch, willow and hemlock. Though it’s rare that any host tree will die as a direct result of gypsy moths, the loss of leaves will indirectly cause other problems. Fungus, disease and other parasitic pests will find damaged host trees leading to stunted growth and ultimately death. Needless to say, the end result of “importing just a few gypsy moths” was never imagined; at this time gypsy moths represent the single most significant threat to our forests.

GYPSY MOTH BIOLOGY ^

Gypsy moths have a simple life cycle. Eggs hatch small worm like caterpillars which feed on trees. These larva are tiny – so tiny they’re hard to see at first – but their silky webs will be both felt and seen everywhere once active. They use this silky web-thread to move up and down host trees.

It will also enable them to migrate from one tree to another as the small light body of the larva is easily carried by the wind. This spring feeding will occur for 2-3 months. It will start in April or May and continue through July or August. Once they have their fill, they will travel away from host trees where they will spin a cocoon and undergo metamorphosis. Later in the year they will emerge as adult moths ready to mate and lay new brood eggs to continue the growth of the local population.

Once emerged, adult males have a strong desire to find females. This pursuit will happen during the dark of the night. Females will mate and lay eggs throughout the fall and die off as winter arrives. Before she dies, the average female will lay thousands of eggs. Her egg masses will be found on the bottom side of tree branches and bark of good host trees.

Females also seem to identify a good egg laying location as homes and other man made buildings. This behavior seems to be one of the main reasons why gypsy moths have found their way into most residential neighborhoods.

Ornamental trees also seem to be a food favorite and most any homeowners yard will provide ample hiding places for these egg masses. The average size of these masses will be 500-1000 eggs and if left untreated, these foraging young will cause a lot of damage in the following year!

INVADING GYPSY MOTHS ^

Now that gypsy moths are active in so many states, the goal of eliminating them has pretty much been abandoned. They’re here to stay. If you have activity in your community, it’s just a matter a “when” they will appear on your property. Fortunately there are treatment options that will keep them at bay and your trees protected.

And though many local state and county government agencies have control programs in place, don’t expect their effort to keep your property free and clear of their damaging feeding. If you want to keep them out or if you already have actively feeding larva, there are a few ways to treat which will yield results. The key is using the right product and getting it applied to the right areas.

GYPSY MOTH LIFE CYCLE ^

First, it’s important to understand a few things about how and when the larva feed. One of the unique characteristics of gypsy moths is their natural instinctive behavior to feed at night. This behavior helps to minimize the impact local birds and other prey animals would otherwise have; many birds like to feed on insects but almost all do this during the day. For this reason its best to treat in the evening, just before dusk, so the application will get them when they’re most active!

Gypsy moths will hide from the light. They will drop off trees via their webbing or crawl down tree trunks and seek refuge in rocks, mulch or other objects that surround host trees. They do this at the first sign of light and there they will rest during the day, well removed from local predators, and lie in wait till darkness once again returns. At that time they will crawl back out and go back to their damaging feeding. This distinctive feeding pattern means there are two ways attempt controlling local populations.

ORGANIC GYPSY MOTH CONTROL ^

In general, organic treatments will for gypsy moths will be slow to work and need to be done early in the season. They can be effective and if you have a few small plants, shrubs or trees to protect, certainly possible.

The first organic option is THURICIDE. This product comes in a concentrated form and can be sprayed on any part of any plant. In the liquid is a bacteria which is harmless to people or animals. Commonly used to control mosquitoes once it gets on plant eating insects they too will die. It’s a little slow to work so be patient when using Thuricide and renew applications weekly till the activity is stopped. Remember, you need to get the targeted foliage sprayed so concentrate your treatments on where you see the most “chewing” damage.

Mix 1 tablespoon per gallon of water (approximately 1/2 oz) and renew weekly until all activity ceases.

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GYPSY MOTH TRAPS ^

Setting out GYPSY MOTH TRAPS is another “low impact” way to help reduce numbers. Our traps use a weather resistant casing to protect the glue pad and lure placed inside. Adult gypsy moths are dialed into this scent (as explained above) and will quickly find traps set in the yard or garden.

Available in both red and white, use one trap per 5,000 sq/ft. Traps come with a short hanging “tie” so you can secure them to tree limbs, garden stakes, etc.

Each trap comes with a single glue pad and on the pad you need to place the lure. Do not handle the lure directly but instead, “pour” it out onto the glue pad. The lure is a small rubber “stopper” shaped object which has been soaked with the pheromone. Both lures and glue pads will remain active for 30-60 days but in badly infested yards, can fill up quickly. Pay attention to your traps and replace pads as they fill.

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BEST GYPSY MOTH SPRAYS ^

We have three options that will cover most all scenarios one might have around the yard when having to treat for Gypsy Moths.

BEST VEGETABLE GARDEN SPRAYS FOR GYPSY MOTHS ^

If you have a garden vegetable and need something safe enough for the fruits and veggies but fast acting, our CYONARA RTS is a good option.

This concentrate is relatively mild, odorless and labeled for use on vegetable plants so it won’t pose a hazard if applied to fruit bearing trees or plants. Cyonara will readily kill gypsy moths quickly and its easy to use. Treatments will last 2-3 weeks and all you have to do is hook it up to your garden hose and start treating. A single quart can cover up to 15,000 sq/ft so it goes a long way. Plus it uses the power of your garden hose water pressure so you should be able to reach 20-30 feet up with any decent amount of water force.

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FOR SMALL GARDENS ^

If you have a small garden and don’t need the coverage Cyonara RTS will provide, go with our permethrin based VEGETABLES PLUS. It’s odorless and like the Cyonara, can be applied to fruit bearing trees. Treatments will last 2-3 weeks but can be renewed more frequently if needed.

Mix 2-4 oz per gallon of water and expect to get 500 sq/ft of foliage coverage per mixed gallon.

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STRONGEST GYPSY MOTH SPRAY ^

If you don’t have fruit or vegetable bearing plants and want the most concentrated option, go with BITHOR. This concentrate is odorless but incorporates two actives making it highly effective on gypsy moths..

When treating before the moths appear, use .75 oz per gallon of water and expect to get up to 1 acre covered per jug. If you have an active problem with larvae and/or adults, you’ll want to use it at full strength which is 1.5 oz per gallon per 1000 sq/ft of foliage. This means our 32 oz jug will cover about 1/2 acre total.

Bithor contains two actives; one that kills quickly and the second one that provides long term “stealthy” control. Essentially the feeding larvae won’t know its there and as they move over it, they’ll pick up a lethal dose and within a few days, die. Treat every 2 weeks when feeding larvae are active or if you notice adults coming around to lay eggs.

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BEST GYPSY MOTH TREATMENT FOR TALL TREES ^

If you have tall trees and can’t spray high enough to reach feeding larvae, soil drench with PROTHOR.

Add 1 oz for every 10″ of tree width to a 5 gallon bucket along with 3-4 gallons of water. Poke some holes 10-15″ deep using a piece of rebar or some other garden tool. Pour the mixture down the holes making sure it mostly stays in the holes and within the ‘drip line” of the trees limbs.

Prothor will take 1-2 weeks to be “sucked” up into the trees sap and to the foliage. Once there, anything eating it will die.

Prothor should be used once in the spring for controlling bugs that like to eat leaves but then again in the fall to control tree borers.

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SPRAY EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR GYPSY MOTH CONTROL ^

For most trees and shrubs 15 feet or less in height, any standard PUMP SPRAYER can be used to apply the products listed above (Thuricide, Soap, Vegetables Plus and Bithor).

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For trees 15-30 feet tall, our 6 GALLON HOSE END will be able to spray as high as your garden hose can reach. Just remove the little black deflector tip and it will spray like a laser letting you reach up as far as your hose will spray by using the water pressure of the garden spigot.

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Now if you don’t feel like pumping and pumping a regular pump sprayer or if you need to reach high parts of the home, consider getting one of our NO PUMP SPRAYERS. This unique sprayer is simple yet very good, easy to use and one of our “favs” for applying insecticides to your homes exterior and landscape (its too powerful for use inside).

Ideally suited for reaching heights of 40+ feet, it has no moving parts other than the valve you hold for spraying and the adjustable brass “bullet” nozzle.

This sprayer is essentially a tank that can hold water, chemical and up to 130 psi of air. The top lid has a clamp and rubber gasket that seats on the “inside” of the sprayer so as you fill it with air, the seal will naturally remain in place, nice and tight.

The top has 3 “ports” (pic below). The port to the far left is used to fill the tank with air. Using any electric air pump (the kind you would use the fill tires on your car), you can safely pressurize this sprayer up to 80 psi. The tank is rated for up to 130 lbs but the relief valve will only allow you to fill it to 80-90 psi before it starts to release. This happens as a safety precautionary action.

For normal use around the home, 50-60 psi should be enough for you empty the liquid from the 2.5 gallon tank assuming you only add 1 gallon of mixed product. True, the sprayer can “hold” 2.5 gallons of liquid but you need room for the air. Our tests show that 50-60 psi will pump out an entire gallon of spray allowing you to reach 25-30 feet heights.

For reaching 40+ feet or higher targets, pressurize the sprayer to 80 psi and again, mix up only what you plan on using and no more than 1 gallon of mixed solution at one time so the tank has enough room left to store all the needed “air”. One charge of 80 psi is enough to get the entire mixture to spray out so you don’t have to be concerned about constantly recharging.

The 5 GALLON NO PUMP can hold over 2 gallons of mixed material and can perform equally as well.

Remember, YOU WILL NEED AN AIR COMPRESSOR POWERFUL ENOUGH TO FILL THIS SPRAYER!! WE RECOMMEND ONE THAT CAN DO AT LEAST 100 PSI.

3 GALLON SETUP (remember to only fill it with 1 to 1.5 gallons of mixed solution so you leave room for air)

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5 GALLON SETUP (remember to only fill it with 2.5 to 3 gallons of mixed solution so you leave room for air)

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WATCH THIS VIDEO ON THE “NO PUMP” SPRAYER FOR OPERATIONAL DETAILS

FOGGING FOR GYPSY MOTHS ^

If you have a lot of foliage to protect, consider fogging instead of liquid treating. On average, fogging will use about 1/10th as much chemical to get the same area treated. And it will do so 50% or more efficiently. Basically the “mist” or fog will cover all surfaces so you miss very little areas. Liquid spraying, on the other hand, is near to impossible to get all surfaces covered due to run off, the angles of the foliage and more. Furthermore, fogging takes a lot less time. On average, it takes 30-50 gallons of mixed solution to treat an acre along with 30-60 minutes of time. But this same area can be treated with 3-4 gallons of mixed solution in 10 minutes using either of the fogging machines listed below.

Since gypsy moth larva naturally forage high for food its entirely possible they could be well beyond the reach of the average liquid sprayer. Mists will usually can reach 25-30 feet up with no problem and with a little bit of air current, 40-50 altitudes can be treated.

For small lots of 1/2 acre or less, our BUGSPRAY FOGGER is a good electric machine. It can pump out 10 oz per minute and with its 1 gallon tank, most anyone can handle it around the yard. Use it to apply the Soap, Vegetables Plus or Bithor listed above.

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If you want to “cut the cord”, get a BACK PACK MIST BLOWER. These gas powered units have 3+ gallon holding tanks and can pump a gallon of mixed solution in 3 minutes.

 

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SPRAY THE GROUND TO STOP MIGRATING LARVAE ^

During the active season, gypsy moth larvae will be foraging onto the ground. This can happen by mistake or on purpose. Leaf litter and common mulch found under trees are prime areas for maturing larvae to use for pupation. For this reason its important to “spray low” when using any of the liquids above. For longer protection or if you have thick mulch such as pine straw, rocks or wood chips, you’ll be best served by applying DELTAGARD GRANULES to the area once a month.

Granules will penetrate the mulch more effective than any liquid and if you have heavy infestations in trees with thick mulch underneath their drip line, this is an important area needing treatment. Apply Deltagard at the rate of 1 bag for every 10,000 sq/ft and renew monthly for 3 months from spring to summer.

 

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Apply the granules with any standard push spreader or HAND SPREADER like this one.

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HOW TO TREAT ADULT MOTHS FLYING IN THE YARD AND LANDING ON THE HOME? ^

To stop adult moths active in the yard, spray with any of the products listed above. The most effective will be the BITHOR. It can be used on the turf, plants and the side of the home using any of the sprayers. Bithor will both kill the adults and keep them away and off treated surfaces. This will help reduce egg laying in the yard and should be applied as soon as you see them flying around.

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