What is a gypsy moth?

The gypsy moth, also known as the swinging caterpillar, belongs to Lepidoptera. Distributed in Changchun, Shenyang, Hohhot, Baotou, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Nanjing, Guizhou and Yunnan. Harm cherry blossom, plum blossom, crape myrtle, wisteria, hawthorn, begonia, begonia, persimmon, cotinus coggygria, apple, walnut, mountain peach, spruce, poplar, willow, sycamore and elm.

Damage form

Larvae is omnivorous and eats a lot, which often causes the leaves to be carved or eaten up, which affects the growth and appreciation of plants.

morphological character

Adult hermaphroditism. The female moth is 30mm long, with yellow and white wings, four serrated brown stripes on the front wing surface and eight brown spots on the outer edges of the front and rear wings. The male moth is 20 mm long, with brown wings and four dark brown wavy lines on its front wings. The egg is shaped like steamed bread, and the egg pieces are covered with yellow-brown fluff. The mature larvae are 75 mm long and grayish brown. There are 1 1 pairs of trichomes on the back of the body, the first 5 pairs are blue and the last 6 pairs are red. There are long yellow and black hairs on the trichome. Pupa is dark brown with yellow rust-colored tufts.

Occurrence characteristics

1 generation occurs in the north of Jiangsu and Zhejiang 1 year. Overwintering with eggs in branches, gaps, etc. In April of the following year, the larvae hatch, and the 1 year-old larvae have long body hair, often drooping and spreading with the wind, so they are called swing caterpillars. Larvae lurk under the tree during the day and return to the crown for food at night. The larvae pupate in the first half of July, and the pupation period is about 10 day. In the middle and late July, adults emerged and showed phototaxis. Male moths fly during the day, so they are also called "dancing moths", while female moths move slowly. Eggs are laid in the shade of branches or stones. Eggs are very big, each egg has 200 ~ 400 eggs, and the eggs are covered with body hair. After the egg completes embryonic development, its larvae diapause in the eggshell and spend summer and winter.

Prevention and cure method

(1) trapping and killing. Black light traps and kills adults.

(2) artificial control. In winter and spring, eggs are collected manually and burned.

(3) chemical control. Spraying 20% Juma EC or 20% Taoxiaoling Emulsion 2000 times during the larval damage period (May-July).