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Who introduced the gypsy moth into the United States?

In 1869, Professor Leopold Trouvelot brought gypsy moth egg masses from France to Medford, Massachusetts. His intention was to breed the gypsy moth with the silkworm to produce a heartier breed, since the silkworm had been plagued by a viral wilt disease. He unwittingly introduced one of the worst tree pests ever known to the United States.

Trouvelot placed the gypsy moth egg masses on a window ledge, where they were apparently carried away by the wind. About 10 years later, numerous gypsy moth caterpillars were found on trees in that vicinity. Within 20 years, the gypsy moth population had grown so large that trees throughout eastern Massachusetts were being defoliated (stripped of their leaves). To make matters worse, in 1911 a contaminated plant shipment from Holland brought more gypsy moths into the northeastern United States.

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