Print. Beset Beauty, Lymantria dispar. Sculpture

Remembering the effects that this beset beauty had on my hometown when it was badly defoliated by this invasive species (by no fault of their own, but for their industrious knack.) They were brought to North America in 1869 by Leopold Trouvelot who wanted to hybridize to make silk worms heartier. Unfortunately a few eggs blew out of his window, escaping his mesh enclosure and gypsy moth caterpillars have been defoliating a forest near you, ever since. Over one million acres of forest have been defoliated every year since the 80's! The furry frenemies are poisonous to touch or eat, so thankfully another pest likes to snack on their pupae: the mouse.