Update on spongy moth infestation and treatment in Virginia

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WRIC) — Two state agencies have provided the public with an update on the spongy moth infestation in Virginia and several available treatment options.

According to a press release, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) have partnered with forest health professionals to inform the public about the invasion of spongy moths in Virginia and provide them with potential control measures.

In its caterpillar phase, the spongy moth feeds on the leaves of oak trees and hardwoods, sometimes stripping entire mountainsides of foliage if the infestation is large enough.

In 2024, around 60,000 acres were damaged by the moths in the Northern Shenandoah Valley and in the mountains west of Harrisonburg and Staunton.

Some trees can recover from defoliation in certain circumstances, but spongy moth feeding can cause significant tree decline if a tree has prior health issues or damages.

There are several treatment methods that the department lists as potentially effective in controlling infestations, including biopesticide applications which have proven to suppress spongy moth populations recently.

“While spongy moth infestation is severe this year, it’s encouraging to see biocontrols killing caterpillars in impacted areas,” said Forest Health Program Manager Lori Chamberlin . “These countermeasures can greatly reduce populations, resulting in less damage to our forests next year.”

Landowners seeking control methods for spongy moths can find information on the DOF’s website.

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