An official website of the United States government.
Many people in Vermont are encountering gypsy moths (GM) for the first time. This invasive species arrived in the United States over 100 years ago and has been expanding its range ever since. They can be significant defoliators (leaf eaters) of trees and shrubs. They prefer oak trees, but when there are a lot of caterpillars around they will eat any type of leaf, including maple and pine. Vermont has not seen an outbreak of GM since 1991. At that time a fungus called Entomophaga maimaiga became prevalent in the area and significantly decreased the GM population. But the dry weather that we’ve experienced over the last few years has not been good for fungi, and the absence of fungi has allowed the GM numbers to increase.
Vermont
View all resources
Spotlights
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets.
Vermont Department of Health.
State Agriculture and Health officials announced that the Asian Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) has been identified for the first time in Vermont. This normally tropical/subtropical species is a known disease vector for Zika, chikungunya and dengue viruses, infecting humans in countries where these diseases are present. The mosquitoes found in Vermont do not currently carry these viruses. Natalie Kwit, public health veterinarian with the Vermont Department of Health, said that while the discovery of Aedes albopictus in the state is notable, Vermont's climate is currently inhospitable for the mosquito species for most of the year, making it unlikely they will be spreading new diseases here any time soon. "The diseases they can carry are not endemic to our area, and in fact are rarely found anywhere in the United States," said Kwit. For more information, visit Vermont's Mosquito Surveillance Program.
Vermont Invasives.
An emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle was detected in a tree located in Londonderry, VT. The mapped area in Vermont (PDF | 1.25 MB) to which "Slow-the-Spread" recommendations apply now covers:
- All of Londonderry, Windham, and Landgrove;
- Most of Jamaica, Winhall, Peru, Weston, Andover and Grafton; and
- Extends into Chester, Townshend, Stratton, Athens, Mount Tabor, and Wardsboro.
October means that non-flight season Recommendations to Slow the Spread of Emerald Ash Borer are now in effect when moving ash from the infested area. With the heating season underway, and firewood deliveries actively occurring, it’s important to remember that untreated ash firewood should never move out of infested areas. Be sure that your purchase or transportation of both log length and split firewood will not unnecessarily spread EAB. There’s a lot of spread to slow: While the infested area map shows that high-risk areas for EAB include many towns, visibly infested trees still remain rare in Vermont. You can help by following the "Slow-the-Spread" recommendations.
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Department of Forestry, Parks, and Recreation.
Firewood is widely recognized as a major source of non-native forest insect and disease infestations. A rule governing the importation of untreated firewood into Vermont went into effect on May 1, 2016. Visitors to Vermont State Parks, Vermont State Forests, and the Green Mountain National Forest may only bring firewood originating from Vermont or that is heat treated and in its original, labeled package. To help slow the spread of emerald ash borer within Vermont, ash firewood that has not been heat treated should not be moved outside of the Emerald Ash Borer Infested Area in Vermont.
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Environmental Conservation. Watershed Management Division.
Early detection is vital to protecting Vermont's water bodies from harmful invasive plants and animals. With more than 800 lakes and ponds throughout the state, volunteers play a key role in our surveying efforts. Vermont Invasive Patrollers (VIPs) monitor water bodies for new introductions of invasive species and report their findings to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
State Specific Threats
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Includes invasive species by category for insects, diseases, plants, and animals.
See also: Invasive Species Status Report by Congressional District
DOI. USGS. Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
Provides fact sheets, maps and collection information for aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates occurring outside of their native range.
USDA. APHIS. Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS). National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS).
Provides State pest detection contacts, recent state exotic pest news, links to state pest resources, and a list of state CAPS survey targets.
Selected Resources
The section below contains highly relevant resources for this subject, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Vermont
Partnership
State and Local Government
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. Department of Environmental Conservation.