HISTORY

The gypsy moth was introduced into this country from Europe in 1869.  The first reported extensive defoliation attributed to this insect was in and around Boston shortly after its initial discovery.  Since that time, the insect has become established along the eastern seaboard, north to Maine, south through North Carolina and west through West Virginia, Ohio, northern Indiana, northeast Illinois through central into Wisconsin and into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Most people think of gypsy moth as a relative newcomer to Michigan.  Not so.  The first reported defoliation by gypsy moth in Michigan was in Lansing in 1954.  From 1954 to 1962, Ingham county and several surrounding counties were surveyed for life forms of gypsy moth.  An extensive effort was made to surround and eliminate the gypsy moth from Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, and Shiawasee counties.  During this time, over a quarter of a million pounds of DDT were applied aerially in these six counties against gypsy moth.

From 1954 to 1971, gypsy moth surveillance continued in various counties in southern Michigan.

The infestation as we know it today, was first discovered in several areas of Isabella and Montcalm counties in 1972.  This part of Michigan was not part of the earlier surveillance efforts so it would be difficult to speculate accurately how long the insect had been there before detection.  Gypsy moth populations in new areas can exist at very low levels for quite some time until ecological or environmental events trigger a population buildup to the point where defoliation and egg masses could easily be observed.

As new infestations were discovered, regulatory policy shifted from trying to eradicate the gypsy moth to a policy of containment in the late 1970s.  By the early 1980s, the gypsy moth was well on its way to becoming established throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.  Today, gypsy moth can be found throughout all of Michigan including the Upper Peninsula.