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1. I think I have Gypsy Moths. What should I do?

There are a number of bristly, or tufted, caterpillars that are often mistaken for the gypsy moth. The gypsy moth caterpillar can be identified by five pairs of blue dots followed by six pairs of red dots down the length of back. The head is yellow and the entire body is covered with long hairs. By the end of June, they are 1 to 2 inches long. They do not build silk tents.

Management includes applying barrier bands around trees in April through May, applying burlap collection bands June to July, and pesticide treatments such as Bacillus thuringiensis (BTK) applied on young caterpillars mid May to early June when they are about a half-inch long or Golden Pest Spray Oil on the egg masses in late fall or winter.  For photos and more information visit the Gypsy Moth website.

2. What trees do gypsy moths prefer to feed on?

They favor the following trees:

• Alder
• Apple
• Basswood
• Big-Tooth and Quaking Aspen
• Box Elder
• Chestnut
• Crabapple
• Gray, Paper, and River Birches
• Hawthorn
• Hazelnut
• Hemlock
• Hophornbeam (or Ironwood)
• Larch (or Tamarack)
• Lombardy Poplar
• Mountain Ash
• Oak
• Pines (Expect Scotch)
• Serviceberry
• Spruces
• Sumacs
• Willow
• Witch Hazel

3. I want to build a pond. Do I need a County Permit?

Yes, a County Zoning Permit and a County-approved Land Disturbance and Erosion Control Plan and Permit are required for any pond construction project in Walworth County. Pond construction must meet County Conservation Standards and County Zoning Standards. 

County Pond Standards specifically restrict the construction of location and dimension of ponds in wetlands. If a pond is permitted in a wetland, it can not impair the functional values of the existing wetland. Only shallow wildlife ponds can be constructed in wetlands. Other standards apply for any pond construction in wetlands.

A permit or plan approval must also be obtained by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for pond construction connected to or near other bodies of water or in wetlands.