Pest was an univited guest and a first in the U.S.
WOODWAY, WA — He’s reportedly the first Hokkaido gypsy moth ever found in the United States, but he’s not welcome.
The invasive insect whose natural range includes Japan, Russia and the Kuril Islands turned up in Woodway July 25.
He looks a lot like his relatives, the perennial pest European and Asian gypsy moths that can cause massive destruction to plants and trees if not kept in check. It took DNA tests at labs in Tumwater and Massachusetts to confirm that the moth found in Woodway was the Hokkaido variety.
“It’s a surprise and very interesting for our entomologists and other entomologists around the country,” said Karla Salp, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture.
“It is a concern in the sense that it’s a variety of Asian gypsy moth,” she said.
The Hokkaido moth has caused extensive damage to Japanese Larch, but feeds on many types of trees and shrubs that can be found in the Pacific Northwest, according to Sven-Erik Spichiger, managing entomologist for the state Department of Agriculture’s plant protection division.
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