They may seem like harmless pests until you realize they have eaten every leaf off the trees in your yard. Gypsy Moths and Gypsy Moth Caterpillars are a real problem this summer in the Hudson Valley.

I remember growing up with the woods near my house being invaded by what my family called "Tent Caterpillars" now fast forward to 2021, I realize they were talking about Gypsy Moths. The web-like masses in the trees which gave way to creeping crawly caterpillars are still clear in my mind.

What really sticks out from that year is that we didn't have a fall. What I mean to say is we didn't have a fall with leaves changing color because when the Gypsy Moths were gone we were left with no leaves on the trees. As a matter of fact, after that summer a few of the trees died.

This past weekend the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) posted of their Facebook page something very important for those of us that have been invaded again this year by Gypsy Moths. They actually have ways you might be able to save your trees that have gotten eaten by the hungry little critters.

Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash
Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash
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These are their Tips straight from the post on Facebook.

Give them a little extra care when appropriate like:
- Watering in dry conditions,
- Weeding around the trunk,
- Mulching properly - just 1-2 inches deep (if you plan to mulch), and,
- Scraping off gypsy moth egg masses in fall/winter (if applicable).

I also found a very helpful video online that has some methods to rid yourself of these destructive little pests.

This Video Has some amazing ideas to fight off Gypsy Moths.

Keeping your trees alive through the Gypsy Moth season can be difficult but hopefully, these tips will pay off in the future.

Keep an eye out for these crafty buggers.

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