Hopefully we are seeing the end of these horrible gypsy moth catepillars eating leaves and excreting from our beautiful trees. They have caused far too much damage and made their mess on many homes and patios I do see the adult brown gypsy moths flying around searching for white and black winged females . Below the females, eggs are being deposited.
The egg masses will be counted by New Jersey Department of Agriculture survey teams to determine where spraying might be done in 2008 in New Jersey. Generally egg masses can be found in several locations: in trees; around loose bark; under branches; around the foundation of your home; on bird feeders; on lawn ornaments, on wood piles.
You can do you part by removing thes masses. You can scrape them in a container of warm soapy water, or in a container you can burn. Each egg mass destroyed eliminates to 400 to 1000 catipilliars for next year's crop.
Some of factors like the natural fungus Entomophaga maimaiga, cold weather this winter. and spraying the right pesticides will also reduce this devastating pest in 2008.
Jerry Frecon
Agricultural Agent
