They have shredded the leaves on the oak trees. They've pooped everywhere. We can't sit outside because of the caterpillars & the worm poop everywhere. I can't keep my car clean. Both of our dogs have been sick off and on with stomach upsets too. 

Hi Alicia,

Gypsy moth outbreaks are just pretty miserable all the way around.  For what it's worth, I feel back for you and the dogs too.  Let me see if I can help a bit. 

First, in the photos, it appears the larvae are at least half grown - maybe more. They usually finish feeding and growing around July 4th, but I think development is going faster this year. That means you still have a couple of weeks of hairy caterpillars and frass (the science-y word for insect poop).  If you can hang until then, the larvae will spin a reddish brown cocoon, pupate fro 1-2 weeks, then emerge as a moth.  For about 1.5-2 weeks, there will be lots of moths.  Don't try to control the pupae or moths - they dont feed and moths only live a few days.  

Until then, you can knock larvae into a bucket of soapy water and let them soak for 1-2 days - that will kill them. You can use a high pressure nozzle on a garden hose and blow off as many larvae as possible on your house, porch, etc.  That may or may not kill them.  If you stomp on them, however, they will die. Insecticides (e.g., malathion, will kill them but that can cause other problems for your dogs along with other insects and animals. You can try hiring a professional arborist to spray insecticide up into the trees - that s usually not cheap but its an option. 

Finally, you can try using AceCaps. These look like vitamin capsules but have acephate insecticide in them.  They are a general use product so you dont have to be certified to buy or apply these implants - you can get them on Amazon. Basically, you use a cordless drill and drill thru the outer bark and just a little ways into the sapwood on the lower trunk , then shove in a capsule.  Then you go up and over a few inches, do it again and so forth. The label will give you all the directions you need. The insecticide is carried in the xylem (sapwood) to the canopy and should kill quite a few larvae. 

Second, in the photo with the larvae on the bark, some are hanging in an upside down V shape.  That means they have been killed by the gypsy moth virus. This NPV pathogen is what typically causes an outbreak to collapse.  The more dead larvae you see, the better.  

Google MSU Gypsy Moth and you come to a website with lots of information.  Look at the write-up about the two pathogens and check out the photos.  Also check out "Dealing with GM around your home" - scraping egg masses will be useful later this summer and fall.  Look at the information on Bt too - might be something to consider for next spring (around mid or late May).

Hang in there - GM outbreaks will eventually collapse but usually there are 3 or maybe 4 bad summers.  But 4th of July should be pretty much the last of it. 

Deb

Thank you so much! Your information is very helpful.