and shade and fruit trees were being completely defoliated. Dur- 
ing the next 5 years, it spread rapidly, and populations increased 
enormously. Since that time, it has continued to spread, but at a 
far less rapid rate. It now occurs throughout the New England 
States, except northern New Hampshire, Maine, and northeastern 
Vermont. It also occurs in eastern New York, northern New 
Jersey, northeastern Pennsylvania, southeastern Quebec, and in 
the vicinity of Lansing, Michigan. Its hosts include most species 
of hardwoods, the oaks, gray birch, and poplar being most highly 
favored. Several conifers are also attacked, usually when growing 
in mixture with the more highly favored hardwoods. Mosher 
(548) published a list of host plants, dividing them into groups of 
favorability. 
The male of the gypsy moth (fig. 123 A) is dark brown, with 
blackish bands across the forewings and has a wingspread of 
about 37 mm. Females (fig. 123 B) are almost white and have 
F-489191-5 
FiGurE 123.—Life stages of the gypsy moth, Porthetria dispar: A, adult 
male moth; B, adult female moth; C, female pupa and cast larval skin; 
D, full- -grown larva; E, egg mass ‘laid on bark of a white oak tree. 
321 
eh ee 
