Spongy moth management in British Columbia

In B.C., the goal of spongy moth (formerly referred to as gypsy moth) management is “eradication” — to prevent populations from becoming established. Spongy moths are not yet established in B.C. or in adjacent areas in Western Canada and the Western United States.

An established population is defined by the North American Plant Protection Organization as one that is perpetuating "for the foreseeable future within an area after entry."

Spongy moth eradication strategy

In B.C., the spongy moth eradication strategy involves three main steps:

1. Prevention

Preventing spongy moths from entering B.C. is always better than having to eradicate them once they are established

2. Monitoring

Pheromone traps are used to monitor and detect new introductions, and to monitor the success of treatments

3. Treatment

Treatment methods are designed to eradicate an introduced population quickly while it is still very small. The most common treatment involves spraying with the biological insecticide Btk.

What you can do

If you find any of the spongy moth life stages, please contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as soon as possible. An inspector will investigate. 

• 250-363-3618
  (Vancouver Island)
• 604-666-2408
  (Mainland/Interior)

Not sure if you have found a spongy moth?

• Review the spongy moth life stages
• Get help identifying whether a caterpillar is a spongy moth caterpillar.