The gypsy moth is a pest in the U.S., having been introduced in the 19th-century in a failed attempt to to try to breed a hardy varient of silkworm. The moths can strip the leaves off at least 250 different tree species, and as they lack natural predators in the U.S., cause siginificant damage. The moths often chew leaves but don't actually eat them, thus increasing the potential damage. At Rocky Arbor, they have already stripped all the trees in some areas of the park. The caterpillars can kill trees directly, but more usually weaken them so that they are more susceptable to die from other causes, such as disease.
The gypsy moth is a pest in the U.S., having been introduced in the 19th-century in a failed attempt to to try to breed a hardy variant of silkworm. The moths can strip the leaves off at least 250 different tree species, and as they lack natural predators in the U.S., cause significant damage. The moths often chew leaves but don't actually eat them, thus increasing the potential damage. At Rocky Arbor, they have already stripped all the trees in some areas of the park. The caterpillars can kill trees directly, but more usually weaken them so that they are more susceptible to die from other causes, such as disease.
R
varient
variant
R
siginificant
significant
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susceptable
susceptible