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Introduced accidentally from Europe in 1869, the European Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) has become a major defoliator of forest, shade and fruit trees in the northeastern United States. It is now spreading into Michigan, Ohio, and North Carolina. A close relative, the Asian Gypsy Moth, became established on the Pacific coast in 1991 and has recently appeared in New York and North Carolina. This species is a stronger flier and eats a wider range of plants, trees, and shrubs.
