![If You See This Moth In North Dakota, Squish It](http://townsquare.media/site/504/files/2023/03/attachment-colin-davis-5gGJ3x6Bb5o-unsplash.jpg?w=980&q=75)
If You See This Moth In North Dakota, Squish It
I never want to encourage violence, but I saw the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has been warning people about a particular type of moth. Here's what you should know.
Gypsy Moth Or Spongy Moth
The Spongy Moth, otherwise known as the Gypsy Moth originated in the United Kingdom. It made its way to the United States in 1869, according to aphis.usda.org.
Did you know we actually brought it to the U.S. for silk production? Unfortunately, this was an unwise decision, as it quickly produced more problems than benefits. This, according to ndinvasisves.org.
The Problem
This insect feasts upon more than 300 different types of plants and shrubs, which can cause quite a bit of damage to ecosystems.
These moths devour plants so much so, that it is a concern to the preservation of North American forests.
According to the source, as caterpillars, these little bugs can and will eat all the leaves off of a given tree, which can eventually lead to the tree dying.
On NationalPlantBoard.org, it indicates there is a massive effort taking place to help minimize the spread of harmful insects, such as the Gypsy Moth.
An Issue In North Dakota?
The Spongy Moth or Gypsy Moth isn't known to have an established population in North Dakota, though there have been detections of the insect over the years.
While you might not see many in North Dakota, if you do, you might just want to give it a swat... for the greater good.
What Else Can You Do?
The first step in protecting North Dakota plant life, is learning to spot the invasive creature. After that, it's important you report it to federal and/or state agricultural officials before the issue gets out of hand.
Some states have it so bad that there are legal quarantines in place. That means anything in the area where this moth is found cannot be moved without taking all the necessary precautions to prevent its spread and migration. This is according to agriculturedelaware.gov.
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