Spongy moths are easiest to identify in the caterpillar and egg stages. Adult moths and pupae are easily mistaken for native butterflies and moths. If you are trying to manage spongy moth, we suggest focusing on the caterpillar and egg stages to minimize the risk of killing the wrong insect.
Spongy moth caterpillars have a blue-black, hairy body with pairs of blue and red bumps down their back. When first hatched from their eggs, caterpillars can be as small as less than 0.25 inches but can grow to 1.5 to 2 inches long. Their hairs can irritate some people’s skin, so avoid touching them or, if necessary, handle them with gloves.
Several kinds of caterpillars look similar to spongy moth:
- Mourning cloak caterpillars are black but, unlike spongy moth, they have spines, only one row of red spots, and no blue bumps.
- Eastern, western, and forest tent caterpillars also hatch in the spring and are hairy, but they have white spots or stripes down their back and don’t have bumps.
- White-marked tussock moths are hairy and present in the spring, but they have red heads, bright yellow stripes, four cream colored tufts of hair, and long black hairs on their front and back.
- Marsh dagger moths have short, sparse hairs. Unlike spongy moths, they have black and white bodies with rows of orange bumps that extend the length of their bodies and wrap around their sides.
- Fall webworm are hairy, but they are pale yellow to brown with black bumps and occur in late summer.
- Spongy moths don’t build webs or tents. If you see caterpillars in a web or tent, it is likely a tent caterpillar, fall webworm, or another kind of web building caterpillar, not a spongy moth.
Spongy moth egg masses are rusty to pale brown, roughly oval shaped, and covered in hairs.
A single egg mass contains anywhere from 500 to 1,000 eggs. Moths will lay them just about anywhere including house siding, tires, and firewood. When moving to a new area or traveling long distances, check over anything you’ve kept outside for egg masses. If you find any, gently scrape them off and put them in soapy water or rubbing alcohol to kill them.
Tent caterpillar eggs are sometimes confused with spongy moth eggs. Tent caterpillars lay eggs that are also brown and roughly oval shaped. However, tent caterpillar eggs are smooth, slightly bumpy, or feel like Styrofoam whereas spongy moth eggs are furry and spongy.
Ni rahisi zaidi kutambua nondo wa aina ya spongy katika hatua za kuvu na yai. Ni rahisi kuamini kwamba nondo na nondo wazima ni vipepeo na nondo wa asili. Ikiwa unajaribu kudhibiti nondo wa spongy, tunapendekeza kuzingatia hatua za kamba na yai ili kupunguza hatari ya kuua wadudu wasiofaa. Nyigu aina ya spongy huwa na mwili wenye nywele na rangi ya bluu-nyeusi na makundi ya nywele za bluu na nyekundu kwenye mgongo wao. Wakati wa kuzaliwa, nyigu huwa na urefu wa sentimita 0.25 na inaweza kukua hadi sentimita 1.5 hadi 2. Nywele zao zaweza kuchochea ngozi ya watu fulani, kwa hiyo epuka kuzigusa au, ikiwa ni lazima, zishughulikie kwa glavu. Aina kadhaa za vipepeo zinafanana na nondo wa spongy: - Vipepeo wa vipepeo wa maombolezo ni weusi lakini, tofauti na nondo wa spongy, wana miiba, safu moja tu ya madoa mekundu, na hakuna madoa ya bluu. - Nyigu wa hema wa mashariki, magharibi, na msitu pia huanguliwa wakati wa majira ya kuchipua na wana manyoya, lakini wana madoa meupe au mistari kwenye mgongo wao na hawana makunyanzi. Tussock moths ni nywele na sasa katika majira ya kuchipua, lakini wana vichwa nyekundu, nyuzi mkali wa manjano, nne cream rangi tufts ya nywele, na ndevu ndefu nyeusi juu yao mbele na nyuma. - Nondo wa msituni wana nywele fupi, zisizo nyingi. Tofauti na nondo wa aina ya spongy, wao wana miili nyeusi na nyeupe yenye safu za nyufa za rangi ya machungwa ambazo huenea kwenye urefu wa miili yao na kuzunguka pande zao. - Mnyama anayeitwa fall webworm ana manyoya, lakini ni wa rangi ya manjano-kahawia na ana vidonda vyeusi na huonekana mwishoni mwa majira ya kiangazi. - Nondo wa aina ya spongy hawajengi mitandao au mahema. Ikiwa unaona mbawakawa kwenye wavu au hema, yaelekea ni mbawakawa wa hema, mdudu wa majira ya kupukutika, au aina nyingine ya mbawakawa wa kujenga wavu, si nondo wa kuvu. Mayai ya nondo wa aina ya spongy ni ya rangi ya kutu hadi kahawia-nyeupe, yana umbo la mviringo, na yamefunikwa na nywele. Kiasi kimoja cha mayai kina mayai 500 hadi 1000. Nondo hutagawanya karibu mahali popote kutia ndani ukutani wa nyumba, tairi, na kuni. Unapohamia eneo jipya au kusafiri umbali mrefu, angalia kila kitu ulichohifadhi nje ili uone kama kuna mayai mengi. Ikiwa utapata, kuondoa kwa upole na kuweka katika maji ya sabuni au rubbing pombe kuua yao. Nyakati nyingine mayai ya mbawakawa wa hema huchanganyikiwa na mayai ya nondo wa majani. Nyigu wa hema huweka mayai ambayo pia ni ya rangi ya kahawia na yenye umbo la mviringo. Hata hivyo, mayai ya mbawakawa wa hema ni laini, yenye miamba kidogo, au huonekana kama Styrofoam ilhali mayai ya nondo wa sifongo huwa na manyoya na ni ya sifongo.