The gypsy moth is found in every county in Michigan's Lower Peninsula and in certain areas of the Upper Peninsula. When feeding, the gypsy moth caterpillar can leave trees stripped of foliage.
Caterpillars eat leaves of several hardwood trees including oak, birch, basswood, apple and aspen.
Unhealthy trees are weakened when defoliated, making them susceptible to other insects and disease problems that can kill them. Gypsy moth eggs are laid in fuzzy, buff-colored clusters during July and early August. Each cluster contains 50 to 1,000 eggs. The female deposits these egg masses on any convenient surface, including the bark of trees, the underside of cars and trailers, on picnic tables and on rocks and twigs. May. Hatch occurs earlier if the weather is unusually warm.