Spongy Moths: An Interpretive Walk

Have you noticed the boom in spongy moth caterpillars? Are you interested in learning what’s going on from an ecological perspective? On Saturday, June 8 at 10am ET join Cary Institute’s Clive Jones and Mike Fargione for an interpretive spongy moth walk on the grounds of our Millbrook, NY campus.

Discover the history of this invasive forest pest, how it is impacting trees and forests, and when we can expect the outbreak to collapse. This walk will introduce participants to the life stages of the spongy moth and bring them through impacted oak forests to observe defoliation. Learn how to identify new vs old egg masses, how burlap can be used to monitor trees, the role of mice in pupal predation, and how to use your phone camera to gauge defoliation.

Please note: participants should wear wide-brimmed hats and long sleeves. Caterpillars and their droppings (frass) may fall from trees and caterpillar hairs (or seates) may cause allergic reactions in some people.

Visit the Cary website for a Q&A with Clive on spongy moths, and the Spongy Moth Chronicles, a blog by Mike Fargione tracking spongy moth activity on our 2,000-acre research campus.