The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, is a moth in the family Lymantriidae of Eurasian origin. Originally ranging from Europe to Asia, it was introduced to North America in the late 1860s and has been expanding its range ever since. It is also known as the Asian gypsy moth.

The gypsy moth was introduced into the United States in 1868 by a French scientist, Leopold Trouvelot, living in Medford, Massachusetts. The native silk spinning caterpillars were proving to be susceptible to disease so Trouvelot brought over gypsy moth eggs to try to make a caterpillar hybrid, that could resist diseases. When some of the moths escaped from his lab, they found suitable habitat and started to multiply. Gypsy moth is now one of the most notorious pests of hardwood trees in the eastern United States.[citation needed]

This 774 page digital copy of the rare 1896 edition in .pdf format is an early report of this insect and its devastation and destruction in the late 1800's presented on a Gift Quality DVD.