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Photo#768552
New caterpillar on white oak - Lymantria dispar

New caterpillar on white oak - Lymantria dispar
Atco, Camden County, New Jersey, USA
May 9, 2013
Size: 5mm?
This is new to my favorite white oak!

Images of this individual: tag all
New caterpillar on white oak - Lymantria dispar Yes, I am Gypsy! - Lymantria dispar

Moved

We have population booms and busts
here pretty regularly. The Gypsy Moths come and go. There doesn't seem to be any major impact on our ecosystems. When they get too numerous a fungal outbreak occurs and wipes them out for a while. There really has been no need for mass aerial spraying of all things Lepidopteran. We actually enjoy the occasional high population years when the cuckoos seem to stick around and breed locally in high numbers because of the increase in food availability. It maybe that as the climate is disrupted our outbreaks may become more severe and we have to resort to spraying, but right now things seem to work fine here without it.

Sad to report that it seems likely
to be a Gypsy

Arpad may be able to be more certain.

 
Oh no!
We had Gypsy Moth aerial spraying few years back and I didn't see them last year. But it looks like they are back! Now I remember I had Gypsy cat on that white oak before (I didn't notice this early instar though)...

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