How you can help: see it… contain it… report it…

You can help MAF stop the gypsy moth from establishing in New Zealand.

Download pamphlet

Click here Link to PDF document (984 KB) to download a more detailed Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version of this page. You can use this as a flyer to distribute in your local community.

See it…

  • Be on the look out for signs of the gypsy moth, particularly when handling vegetation on your property.
  • You are most likely to find egg masses, caterpillars, or adult moths.

Egg mass
Look for egg masses attached to trees, walls, logs, and outdoor equipment. The egg mass is velvety, yellow, fuzzy, 3cm long and 1.5cm wide.

Gypsy moth egg mass
Egg Mass - Gary Fewless (2002), Cofrin Center for Biodiversity

Caterpillar/Larva
The caterpillars are dark coloured, covered in tufts of hair and about 7cm long. They have two rows of dots along their backs - five pairs of blue and six of red.

Gypsy moth larva
USDA APHIS PPQ Archives, USDA APHIS PPQ, www.invasive.org (offsite link to www.invasive.org)

Moth
The large moths have a wingspan of about 5cm. The males are brown and the females are white. The wings of both have wavy dark bands.

Contain it…

If you find a gypsy moth put the pest in a bag. Avoid touching caterpillar hairs - they might give you an allergic rash. Avoid spreading the pest by moving plants out of Hamilton. If you need to throw out plants you should take them to:

  • Hamilton Refuse Transfer Station, Lincoln Street, Frankton.
  • Hamilton Organic Recycling Centre, Wickham Street, Frankton.

Call the gypsy moth information line on 0800 809 966 if you want to move vegetation out of Hamilton.

Report it…

Call the gypsy moth information line on 0800 809 966 if you think you've found a gypsy moth.

Make sure others know how to spot a gypsy moth and what to do if they find one.

Page last updated: 30 April 2008