Bay County Warns Property Owners to Watch for Gypsy Moths

Bay County’s Gypsy Moth Supression Program has treated nearly 4,000 acres of infested woodlots in six townships this year.

The agency says Gypsy Moth populations are near a record high throughout the state, with oak, aspen and birch trees their favorite targets. The Bay County Gypsy Moth program says field monitoring after the treatments indicates a reduction of at least 75 percent in the Gypsy Moth population. Bay County property owners are urged to be on the lookout for signs of gypsy moths this fall, such as clusters of tannish/brown egg masses on the outer bark of trees or other flat surfaces. Areas with an increase in the population will determine what areas are treated next spring, so Bay County residents should contact the agency if you think you see a gypsy moth infestation.

The agency may also consider a name change, as the Entomological Society of America has changed the common name from Gypsy Moth to the Spongy Moth to better reflect the moth’s sponge-like egg masses, which are an important identifying characteristic.