The spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) quarantine covers 54 of Wisconsin's 72 counties, as well as many other parts of the U.S. Under quarantine regulations, wood products and outdoor household items must be inspected or certified before moving them from quarantined areas to non-quarantined areas. Quarantine regulations apply to both businesses and private citizens.
Spongy moth egg masses are a particular concern because they are often hidden and can overwinter in cold climates. We quarantine to limit the spread of spongy moth to new, uninfested areas.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to enforce the quarantine.
Areas Covered by the Quarantine
The quarantine applies to certain counties of Wisconsin as well as other states and counties identified in the
Code of Federal Regulations. To view all counties currently quarantined in Wisconsin, please refer to our
map.
Items Covered by the Quarantine
- Outdoor household articles such as patio furniture
- Firewood, whether for sale or consumer use
- Logs, posts, pulpwood, bark and bark products
- Wood nursery stock
- Cut Christmas trees
- Mobile homes and associated items
Exceptions
Regulated items can be moved from a quarantined area to a non-quarantined area, if accompanied by a certificate signed by a pest control official in the state of origin who has inspected the items and certified that:
- The items originate from non-infested premises and have not been exposed to spongy moth, or
- The items were free of spongy moth at the time of inspection, or
- The items have been effectively treated to destroy spongy moth, or
- The items were produced, processed, stored, handled or used under conditions that would prevent transmission of spongy moth.