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The USDA program to manage Lymantria dispar is a partnership with the Forest Service, APHIS, and state partners, to suppress outbreaks in the generally infested area, eradicate isolated infestations in the uninfested area, and slow the spread along the advancing front. See also: The Lymantria dispar Digest for a database containing information about gypsy moth defoliation and treatments at the national level. See related resource: National Slow The Spread (STS) Program
IPM of Midwest Landscapes is available for educating growers, landscapers, managers, and consumers in the principles of IPM and its application to managing the over 150 common insect species in Midwest landscapes.
USDA. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Program Aid No. 2147.
It's the Law -- If you are moving from a spongy moth quarantine area to a non-quarantine area, you must inspect your outdoor household items for the spongy moth and remove all life stages of this destructive insect before you move. See also: Spongy Moth
Forest pest first detectors are trained to quickly detect and diagnose early infestations of emerald ash borer, spongy moth, Asian longhorned beetle, Japanese barberry, Oriental bittersweet and other pests, so that state and federal agencies can control the spread. Become part of the award-winning Minnesota Forest Pest First Detector volunteer program to help the public find new invasive species affecting Minnesota’s trees and forests, or attend as a refresher for those already active as Forest Pest First Detectors.
The National Slow the Spread (STS) Program is dedicated to slowing the spread of spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) throughout the U.S. The STS Program is part of the USDA's integrated pest management (IPM) program and national strategy for Lymantria dispar management. Slow the Spread efforts are coordinated by a chartered, non-profit foundation that coordinates the operations of the program and facilitates the movement of funding between federal (USDA Forest Service and APHIS) and state agencies. Slow the Spread is one of the world’s largest and most successful integrated pest management programs.
State and Federal agencies collaborate in a national integrated pest management (IPM) program called the Slow the Spread Program (STS) to reduce the spread rate of Lymantria dispar and limit its impacts. Slow the Spread is one of the world’s largest and most successful integrated pest management programs. See related resource: National Slow The Spread (STS) Program
The spongy moth, (Lymantria dispar), formerly known as the "gypsy moth," continues to spread throughout North America, threatening deciduous trees and impacting humans. This non-native, foliage-feeding insect currently occupies only about one-third of its possible host distribution in the United States. Efforts to reduce its impact and spread represent one of the largest and most successful federal and state agency integrated pest management programs against a forest pest.
This new General Technical Report (GTR), published by the Northern Research Station, synthesizes information about the Slow the Spread Program, its accomplishments, and provides a framework for future landscape-level integrated pest management. See related resource: National Slow The Spread (STS) Program
Citation: Coleman, Tom W.; Liebhold, Andrew M., eds. 2023. Slow the spread: a 20-year reflection on the national Lymantria dispar integrated pest management program. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-212. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 130 p. https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-212.