Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is adding Douglas County in Wisconsin to the list of quarantine areas for spongy moth (formerly known as gypsy moth1). The moth population in this county has reached the threshold to trigger the quarantine expansion.

To prevent further spread of spongy moth, the attached Federal Order provides notification that APHIS is adding Douglas County in Wisconsin to the regulated area. Effective immediately, all interstate movement of regulated articles from Douglas County must be handled in accordance with 7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 301.45. Wisconsin has established a parallel state quarantine. 

Spongy moth is a destructive insect of approximately 300 species of trees and shrubs. The Spongy Moth Program prescribes conditions for the interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantine areas. The federal and state partnership limits the establishment of the moth outside the quarantine area that would result from human-assisted movement of the pest. We appreciate the cooperative relationship with Wisconsin in the effort to limit the spread of spongy moth. 

The full lists designating spongy moth quarantine areas and regulated articles are published on the APHIS website at:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/sa_insects/spongy-moth/ 

For more information about the Spongy Moth Program and Federal spongy moth regulations, please contact National Policy Manager, Kathryn Bronsky, at (301) 851-2147. 

/s/ 

Dr. Mark L DavidsonDeputy AdministratorPlant Protection and Quarantine 

1APHIS Announces New Common Names for Regulated Lymantria Moths

Attachment: Federal Order

Original source can be found here