"Silence of the Lambs" or Invasion of the Winter Moths?

By Linda Bock

Some Massachusetts residents have said lately it has been like “Silence of the Lambs” with the blizzard of fluttering winter moths flocking to headlights, porch and outdoor lights.

It’s that time of year again: winter moths and other related species have started to show up at lights across the state, according to the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project. The Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project is a collaboration between the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and the UMass Extension Agriculture and Landscape Program.

The winter moth (Operophtera brumata) is an invasive species first discovered in Massachusetts in the 1990s. Winter moth caterpillars are highly efficient tree defoliators, often stripping the leaves of oaks, maples and other hardwood trees down to lacy skeletons.

In mid-to-late fall, at a time of year where insect activity is practically at a standstill, these small brown winter moths will be seen across the eastern half of the state, sometimes congregating at porch lights by the hundreds.

Massachusetts residents may participate in a winter moth survey. The information shared on the survey will help assess the distribution of this invasive pest in the state.