Gypsy Moth Egg Mass

The female gypsy moth lays between 500 to 1,000 eggs in August. They are laid all at once in a mass that is covered with velvety, buff-colored hair from the female moth's body. The larva starts developing during the remaining warm days of summer. As winter approaches, the tiny larva goes into diapause. That means it shuts down and goes through the winter without growing or developing until spring. The eggs hatch in mid-May, just in time to start munching on new green leaves.

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