| It's not nice to fool mother nature. The gypsy moth was introduced to the U.S. in the 19th century in an attempt to breed a hardy varient of silkworm. Having no predators here, they can strip the leaves off of 250 species of tree. Now they've inundated Rocky Arbor State Park, forcing the parks closure until June 27.
Caterpillars Force Temporary Closure of Wisconsin Park A Wisconsin state park has been closed, due to being over-run by gypsy moth caterpillars. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the unprecedented move yesterday, with officials saying they would temporarily close Rocky Arbor State Park near Wisconsin Dells due to an infestation of gypsy moth larvae.
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Gypsy moth larva - Photo USDA Dept of Agriculture The larvae are present at the park in such large numbers that, according to a report by the Wisconsin State Journal, camping there would "apparently be a squishy, nightmarish experience."
Mark Guthmiller, DNR gypsy moth suppression coordinator, said that "there are also health and safety considerations that prompted our action," explaining that there was a significant risk of people having severe allergic reactions to the caterpillars. There were also concerns that the caterpillars might be accidentally transported out of the park on park user's vehicles to areas where the moths have as yet failed to establish themselves. Guthmiller also commented that related sanitation issues would also "significantly detract from the quality park camping experience."
Andrea Diss-Torrance, another gypsy moth coordinator for the DNR, said of the infestation: "It's very severe - it's as severe as I have ever seen."
The closure, which will run until at least June 27, is thought to affect around 95 campground reservations at the site, which covers 255 acres. State officials have been attempting to arrange alternatives for campers at nearby parks or, failing this being acceptable, are offering refunds. The park will be closed until after the caterpillars have completed pupation - the period in their life cycle in which they transform into moths.
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Gypsy moth - Photo ©Entomart
The gypsy moth is a pest in the U.S., having been introduced in 1869 in a failed attempt to to try to breed a hardy varient of silkworm. The moths can strip the leaves off at least 250 different tree species and, as they lack natural predators in the U.S., cause siginificant damage. The moths often chew leaves but don't actually eat them, thus increasing the potential damage.
At Rocky Arbor they have already stripped all the trees in some areas of the park. The caterpillars can kill trees directly, but more usually weaken them so that they are more susceptable to die from other causes, such as disease.
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