By Meg Sanders, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection;
MeganT.Sanders@wisconsin.gov or 715-891-8158

The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) to enforce a spongy moth quarantine in Wisconsin, with the goal of limiting the spread of the spongy moth to new, uninfested areas.

The quarantine now covers 53 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. The quarantine regulates woody nursery stock, Christmas trees, firewood, logs and outdoor household items. Quarantine regulations apply to businesses and private citizens.

Spongy moth (Lymantria dispar​)​​ ​is​ a non-native pest well-established in the eastern two-thirds of Wisconsin. Spongy moth ​caterpillars feed on the leaves of about 300 species of trees and shrubs, and at high populations​ they may completely defoliate trees in the spring.

If your business moves regulated articles from a quarantined county to another state, such as Minnesota, contact USDA-APHIS for a federal compliance agreement. If your business only transports regulated articles within Wisconsin from a quarantined county to a non-quarantined county, contact DATCP to obtain a state spongy moth compliance agreement.

Both agreements specify risk mitigation requirements, are renewed annually and are of no cost to your business. One exception to this rule is that firewood certified through DATCP’s Firewood Certification Program can move throughout Wisconsin across county quarantine boundaries. Certified firewood leaving the state of Wisconsin is still subject to federal regulations and those of the receiving state. In addition, Tribal nations may enact their own firewood regulations, and state properties require firewood used on that property to be certified or sourced within 10 miles of the property.

Learn how to identify spongy moth through DATCP’s online training video.

If you have questions about spongy moth quarantine compliance or questions about the state’s Firewood Dealer Certification Program, please contact DATCP’s Forest Pest Regulatory Coordinator Meg Sanders at MeganT.Sanders@wisconsin.gov or 715-891-8158.

For more general information on spongy moth, visit the state’s interagency Spongy Moth Resource Center.