Slow the Spread

Management programs for the gypsy moth in the United States comprise three components: 1) detection and eradication, 2) suppression, and 3) transition-zone management. Detection and consequent eradication of the gypsy moth occur in areas far from the expanding population front. This component is spearheaded by the USDA Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service in cooperation with state and local governments. In detection and eradication, pheromone-baited traps are used to detect the initial establishment of new populations in areas uninfested with gypsy moth; these areas can then be targeted aggressively. For example, there have been notable eradication efforts in Oregon and Missouri over the years. Gypsy moth populations that arise in the detection and eradication areas are largely the result of the anthropogenic transportation of life stages from areas infested with gypsy moth to those in which the insect is absent