Your Checklist for Prevention

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You can help prevent the spread of gypsy moths and caterpillars.

Credit: Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org

Gypsy moths have been established in parts of the United States for more than 150 years. Fortunately, they have been slow to spread, and there are a lot of places they haven't reached yet. Don't help them along.

• Check cars. Female gypsy moths lay their eggs on all sorts of surfaces. Check your vehicle when you travel to an infested area and destroy any egg masses you've picked up. (Or if you live in an infested area and are traveling out of it.)
• Don't move firewood. Firewood spreads all kinds of tree pests. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid moving firewood more than about 10 miles. Don't take firewood from home when you go camping. Be particularly careful when traveling between areas where the gypsy moth is established and areas it hasn't reached yet.

You can also take steps to help your woods withstand attack.

• Thin. Trees with a little breathing room do better when they're under attack.
• Diversify. A mix of tree species, ages, and sizes will help get your woods through attack by defoliating caterpillars.

Whether you’re trying to prevent an infestation or controlling damage from an existing infestation, you don’t have to go it alone. State, county or consulting foresters, the Forest Service or your local cooperative extension service can all help you protect your woods and preserve your forest legacy.