Major Hardwood Defoliators of the Eastern United States

Talerico, R. L., 1978. Major hardwood defoliators of the Eastern United States. U.S. Dep. Agric., Home and Garden Bull. 224.

A variety of leaf-eating insects periodically defoliate hardwood trees in forests, on recreation sites, and in residential areas in the Eastern United States. An occasional defoliation during the life of a forest stand probably has little effect on the overall growth of the stand, but several years of severe or varying levels of defoliation can have negative impacts on the forest community: Increased susceptibility to other insects and diseases, reduced foliage, and altered wildlife habitat.

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