Spongy Moth
Sadly, the invasive spongy moth—which is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa—is extremely cute and looks like a cuddly bat. Its eyes almost scream “don’t squish me.” But squish it you must. The spongy moth doesn’t belong here. First brought to Massachusetts back in the 1800s, it has spread across the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada and costs hundreds of millions of dollars in damage and population control efforts every year.
The spongy month—the name of which the Entomological Society of Americachanged last year because it was hurtful to the Romani people—is capable of defoliating hundreds of tree and shrub species, its larvae can practically devour entire trees.
