Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFErebidae Members:
Lymantria Members:
8 NC Records

Lymantria dispar (Linnaeus, 1758) - Spongy Moth

Lymantria disparLymantria dispar
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: ErebidaeSubfamily: LymantriinaeTribe: LymantriiniP3 Number: 930141 MONA Number: 8318.00
Species Status: This species was previously referred to as the Gypsy Moth, but Spongy Moth is now the more accepted name.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (1978)                                                                                 
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Lymantria dispar - Spongy Moth

Photos: 2

Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-20
Caswell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2007-10-10
Onslow Co.
Comment: Egg mass photographed on the trunk of a Live Oak.