Global Assessment of Haiti Part 2 Research Paper

Global Assessment of Haiti Part 2 - Research Paper Example Pneumonia and Influenza are the major diseases that cause a lot of deaths of the Haitian population (World Fact book, 2013). The country is vulnerable to environmental impacts like harsh climatic changes and stressors of the environment like hurricanes and earthquakes. The country has presidential system and the national assembly is bestowed with law making processes. Use of voodoo doctrines is part and parcel of the Haitian population and the whole population is strong believers of the Roman Catholic. Lack of proper planning possesses a lot of challenge to the health sector of this country; because of the poor organization, most of the health care management is conducted by NGOs like Cuban Brigade and other bodies like MSF. Because of the natural calamities like earthquakes, the free medical services offered by the government had to stop because the government became bank craft and could no longer provide for the needs of the population. The old generation and the youngsters are the most susceptible members of the society based on outbreak of diseases like cholera. The case of cholera has been epidemic due to the poor hygiene and sanitation in the country. The vivid impact of the health issues is death among the vulnerable population. Due to the escalation of the health standards in the country, many international bodies have decided to offer a helping hand and some of such bodies are Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Partners in Health Organizations (PIH). These international bodies have embarked on vaccination programs against cholera to reduce its escalating effects. Another international body that has played a major role is UNICEF. This body has been engaged in vaccination programs to reduce the spread of cholera and other water-borne diseases. Haiti health concern with millennium development goals Some of the goals of the millennium development are eradication of extreme poverty rate and hunger, reduction of mortality rate among children below t he age of five years, improvement of maternal health care, and combating HIV/AIDS and malaria diseases (Adam et al., 2006). Based on the findings of Haiti case, nearly all the millennium goals have not been met. Haitian population still suffers from poverty since most of them live below the poverty line and this therefore, means that the first goal of eradication of poverty by millennium development has not been achieved. The second goal is reduction of mortality rate among children below the age of five years and this goal has equally not been achieved because the most vulnerable people in the Haitian population are the children below the age of five years. The country can be said to be far away from achieving the millennium goals because of their poor health organization and failure to eradicate water-borne disease like cholera. For the country to attain these goals then a lot of changes should be done on the health sector. The government should be able to contain the health situa tion and it should be able to give provisions to basic medical requirements and also cleaning drinking water for the citizens. Without these changes then the country will still be far away from achieving the highlighted goals. Three levels of prevention Levels of prevention can be broadly classified into three categories: primary, secondary, and

Financial And Non Financial Rewards Commerce Essay

Financial And Non Financial Rewards Commerce Essay This essay is written to understand, argue and evaluate if financial rewards is the one best way to motivate employees within an organization. Motivation can be defined as the goal directed behavior that is initiated, directed and sustained by enabling a cognitive decision making process. (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2010, P.267). Motivation is very important to boost job performance. Employee in the organization can be motivated through financial as well as non-financial rewards or motives. Motive can be defined as a socially acquired need activated by a desire for fulfillment. (Buchanan and Huczynski, 2010, P.266). Motivation pushes the employees in the organization to their fullest and in turn even helps them in personal development. During tough times, employees are the only ones to boost up the level of the organization, thus, motivated employees help in achieving the desired goals of the organization and making motivation a key factor. Financial incentives or motives refer to ince ntives which are in direct monetary form or measurable in monetary term and serve to motivate people for better performance.(NCERT, 2007, P.190). Non-financial incentives or motives are required as all the needs of individuals are not satisfied by money alone. Psychological, social and emotional factors also play an important role in providing motivation. Non-financial incentives mainly focus on these needs. (NCERT, 2007, P.191). The question here is that if financial rewards, motives or incentives are the best way to increase work motivation? In order to thoroughly understand this question, evaluations of both financial and non-financial rewards have to be conducted. To begin, financial rewards have been studied at large by numerous theorists. Some theorists support financial rewards at large. According to Frederick W. Taylor(2011), the most important motivator for employees are salaries and extra benefits such as cash rewards , travel allowances , housing, etc. He also stated that when employees get the same wage regardless of their goals they have to achieve, they tend to work less which may lead the company to an unstable situation Likewise Henry Gantt believed money rewards are a better way for reimbursing the hard work of an employee added to the normal salary. The two methods treat workers as laborers who toiled only for money and has been discouraged by the current form of management system. One theory was by Douglas McGregor, better known as theory X and theory Y, which differentiated between leadership styles/skills and management. Firstly he presumed that motivation and skills are different for all the members of a firm and also that all employees look at the same motivation in a different manner. Theory Y focuses on employees who are able to practice self-control and are able to direct themselves along with a liking towards their job. These employees are not just responsible but are also challenge seekers. New challenges and opportunities motivate these employees. These employees do not require much of supervision as they are self-motivated and show a great morale at work. These employees are not needed to be controlled or punished and help achieve goals and objectives more efficiently. Now when looking at the employees of theory X, one realizes that these employees do not enjoy their job or have a certain amount of disliking towards it. They are high irresponsible a nd need to guided, supervised and directed from time to time when given a certain task or responsibility. These employees burden the managers from time to time as they needed to be forced to work and when behaving not according to the code of conduct, they have to be punished. So people with needs such as self-actualization and more, work better with managers of theory Y as compared to theory X. But a certain amount of balance is needed between theory X and Y so all employees can grow and make progress in their careers. The financial incentives generally used in an organization are listed below: Pay and allowances: For every employee, salary is the basic monetary incentive. It includes basic pay, dearness allowance and other allowances. Productivity linked wage incentives: Several wage incentive plans aims at linking payment of wages to increase in productivity at individual or group level. Bonus: Bonus is an incentive offered over and above the wages/salary to the employees. Profit sharing: Profit sharing is meant to provide a share to employees in the profits of the organization. Co-partnership/stock: Under these incentive schemes, employees are offered company shares at a set price lower than market price. Retirement Benefits: Several retirement benefits such as provident fund, pension and gratuity provide financial security to employees after their retirement. Perquisites: In many companies perquisites and fringe benefits are offered such as car allowance, housing, medical aid, and education to the children etc., over and above the salary. (NCERT,2007,P.190-191) However, if our biological and safety needs are not satisfied, we die. If our needs of love and esteem are not satisfied, we can feel inferior and helpless, but if these needs are satisfied, we feel self-confident. Self-actualization and transcendence, Maslow argued, are our ultimate goals. While the implications if self-actualization have been widely explored, the meta-physical concept of transcendence has been largely ignored by management writers and researchers. (Buchanan and Huczynski,2010,P.268). Maslow argued that self-actualized people are rare, and that creating conditions for us to develop our capabilities to this extent was challenging task. He also argued that these needs are organized in a hierarchy, with lower order biological and safety needs at the bottom, and higher order self-actualization and transcendence needs at the top. (Buchanan and Huczynski,2010,P.268). Abraham Maslows needs hierarchy: Self-actualization: Need to develop our full potential Freedom of equity and expression: Need that is a prerequisite for the satisfaction of other needs Transcendence: A spiritual need, to be at one with the universe Aesthetics: Need for order and beauty To know and to understand: Need to gain and to systematize knowledge, the need for curiosity, learning, philosophizing, experimenting and exploring Esteem: Need for strength, confidence, achievement, self-esteem, independence, and for reputation, prestige, recognition, attention and appreciation, and respect of others Affiliation: need for attachment, belongingness, affection, love, relationship Safety: Need for security, comfort, tranquility, freedom from fear and threat from environment, for shelter, order, predictability, an organized world Biological: need for sunlight, sexual expression, food, water, rest and oxygen-need basic to our survival.(Buchanan and Huczynski,2010,P.268). People working in companies have certain expectations from the environment around them. It is not always the financial incentives but also the people, the manager, the family time and all the given to an employee that motivates them. The needs are not satisfied by money only, emotional, psychological and social factors play a key role in providing motivation. (NCERT,2007,P.190-191). Here is an example, In 2008, The Sunday times newspaper, surveyed over 500 companies and 180,000 employees to identify the best company to work for in the UK the award was won by heat, a central heating installation based in Belfast. W.L. Gore Associates, who won the prize in the previous four years, came eleventh. Companies were rated on eight factors: Leadership: how employees feel about the of the company and senior managers Wellbeing: how staffs feel about stress, pressure and the balance between work and home life My manager: peoples feelings towards their immediate boss and their day-to-day managers My team: peoples feelings about their immediate colleagues Fair deal: how happy the workforce is with their pay and benefits Giving something back: how much companies are thought by their staff to put back into society, and the local community My company: feelings about the company as opposed to the people they work with Personal growth: to what extent the staffs feel they are stretched and challenged by their job Heats managing director said that their success was based on the companys approach communication; we work hard to make it simple. If you make it simple everybody understands and that makes it more likely to last. (Buchanan and Huczynski,2010,P.271). The company in the above example isnt a high paid company, but the working environment around them motivates the employees to work hard and give their best. Yes, financial incentives are important, but without a friendly work force and enough time given by a company to their employees for their family and social ethics, its practically no use. There are disadvantages of financial or monetary motivation, employees in the company might take things for granted. They will expect bonuses even at times when they dont end up working towards organizational goal. But if there arent any monetary incentives given, what will the employee work for. Monetary or financial incentives also help in guiding and moving the employees towards the goal of the organization. Apart from the advantage and disadvantage of financial motive, non-financial incentives also have their own advantages, keeping the employee happy in the company with the friendly environment, companies providing fair amount of break time and activity rooms such as Google. The work timings are at most important as the employees get time with their families and friends and also maintain a great social life along with their work. Some of the important non-financial incentives are discussed below: Status: in the organizational context, status means ranking of positions in the organization. Organizational climate: organizational climate indicates the characteristics which describe an organization and distinguish one organization from others. Career advancement opportunity: every individual wants to grow to the higher level in the recognition. They feel that what they do should be recognized by others concerned. Job security: employees want their job to be secure. They want stability about their future work and income. Employee participation: it means involving employees in decision making of issues related to the company. Employee empowerment: empowerment means, giving more autonomy and powers to subordinates. (NCERT,2007,P.192-193) According to the 2011 Hays Salary Guide, 78 per cent of employers give their employees benefits, or non-financial rewards, in addition to salaries and bonuses. Health is the number one benefit in Hong Kong, offered by 71 per cent of employers. Life assurance is offered by 63 per cent, a pension by 60 per cent, and a housing allowance by 37 per cent. Other benefits include tax equalisation, club or gym membership, a car or car allowance, and private expenses. Typically, benefits increase with experience and the seniority of the position. They are used to motivate and reward top performers, with employers recognising that a motivated employee will achieve the best results. Thus, there is little room to negotiate as your performance and value are the determining factors. There are also countless cases of employers using benefits to reward top performers when they are unable to increase salaries beyond a certain level.   But again, the awarding of additional benefits is based on the employees past performance and is also a tool to motivate future performance. If planning on negotiating benefits package, tread carefully. Employers will only extend their offers so far. So speaking with recruiter to ensure expectations are realistic for the role and industry, or this could leave the employer with doubts over commitment to the role.   As a final note, expatriate packages that include extensive non-financial rewards are a thing of the past. Traditionally, expats brought a wealth of experience and excellent education from abroad to a company, and as such were rewarded accordingly. But today local candidates are viewed on an equal footing since they also possess excellent overseas education and exposure to worldwide markets.(Charnock, 2011) Thus, analysis reveals that nonfinancial factors play a prominent role in influencing employee motivation and engagement worldwide-a finding that could prove useful to employers facing budget constraints. organization. Managers should provide employees with opportunity to improve their skills Job enrichment: is concerned with designing jobs that include greater variety of work content, require higher level of knowledge and skills. Employee recognition: most people have a need for evaluation of their work and due Workers say that being treated with respect is the most important nonfinancial factor, followed by work/life balance, type of work, quality of co-workers and quality of leadership. Among financial factors, base pay ranks highest. Benefits and incentive pay can be important to other aspects of the employment deal-such as attracting, retaining and rewarding employees-but they are considered less important by employees when it comes to their day-to-day motivation and engagement at work. Employee engagement reflects the total work experience, and a big part of it is how you are treated, what kind of work you do and how you feel about your co-workers, bosses and the general work environment, said Colleen ONeill, a senior partner at Mercer and the firms talent leader in the U.S. and Canada. Without a doubt, financial factors like pay and benefits are a vital part of the employment deal, especially in the U.S., but employers need to consider and manage the full range of factors to ensure that their workforce is engaged, ONeill explained. When financial resources are limited, organizations can leverage these nonfinancial factors to effectively boost employee commitment and productivity. (Miller, 2011) And therefore, this proves that both financial and non-financial rewards are important for increasing the work motivation of an organization.

interracial marriages Essay -- essays research papers fc

The law forbidding interracial marriage was terminated in 1967, and in the midst of rapid racial change, one fact is unmistakable: A growing number of Americans are showing that we all can get along by forming relationships and families that cross all color lines. In the past couple decades, the number of interracial marriages has increased dramatically. Interracial dating and marrying is described as the dating or marrying of two people of different races, and it is becoming much more common to do so. Thirty years ago, only one in every 100 children born in the United States was of mixed race. Today, the number is one in 19. In some states, such as California and Washington, the number is closer to one in 10 (Melting Pot). Since 1960 the number of mixed race marriages has doubled every decade (Love’s Revolution). Interracial couples only represented a surprising 2% of all couples in 1990, with interracial marriages representing only 4% (YGGDRASIL). In 1998, there were 1,348,000 interracial married couples. Today, 15% of all babies born in the Golden State are of mixed race. Between 1968 and 1989, children born to parents of different races increased from 1% of total births to 3.4%. There has also been an increase in births to Japanese and White parents. There are now 39% more births to Japanese-White parents than births to Japanese-Japanese parents (in the U.S.). Between 1968 and 1989, Chinese-White births more than tripled (from 1,000 to over 3,800). From 1970 to 1991, t...

The Effects of Watching a Horror Movie

Over the span of modern history, we have seen the film industry help mold our society in many ways. Over the past two decades, I have seen the Sci-fi horror movies take center stage to entertain us. I will explain in this essay my past experiences, feelings, responses, and fantasies while watching horror movies. My first horror movie, â€Å"Friday the 13th†, was at the very least a suspenseful movie that kept me on the edge of my seat. The main character in the story, Jason, could be seen wearing a dark jumpsuit with a white face mask and usually carried a machete in his hand. He was readily available at any turn to chase teenagers and kill them with his weapon with no remorse. Being a teenager myself, I would often wonder why I chose this movie because his victims were teenagers as well and I suppose that had an effect on me subconsciously. Insanely enough, I continued on watching all of the Friday the 13th movies, as well as other horror movies in the years to come. Although I was a teenager watching this particular movie, I was usually alone†¦. in the dark. Some say I was insane to attempt to watch a movie of that nature alone at my age. Others say it was a great idea and added to the suspense. I will have to admit, when I was growing up, I did not scare easily but the effect it had on me at the moment was a little frightening. While watching the movie alone, I felt like Jason was chasing me and that was very un-nerving. The music that was played in the prelude to each murder really did scare me profoundly. I remember shouting at the television, â€Å"Run Faster† or â€Å"Be Quiet†. I had to hug my pillow for security reasons. I can hear the music playing in my head now. Even years later, I can still remember it vividly. Insanity can be a part of us all. The following may help to prove this theory. I remember my response and feelings after the movie ended. I was intrigued and fascinated and was left wanting more. I didn’t want the movie to end because the dramatic effects and suspense left me wondering what was next. I didn’t like seeing the bloody murders but it fully entertained me throughout the movie without a dull moment. I couldn’t imagine these events happening in real life. I would briefly fantisize about playing a part in one of the murder scenes. I believe that I could run faster than they did to get away from that killing monster. What about the random teenagers that just couldn’t stop breathing hard and whimpering just before Jason found them. Some questions that entered my mind was, now that I have watched this scary movie, will I have nightmares to follow? Could this actually happen to me? Is there someone crazy enough to commit such heinous crimes? I remember thinking that if I were them, I would definitely have more self-control, but I was so scared that I was biting my tongue and clinching my fists. While watching the movie, I was so involved that I imagined what my decisions would realistically be if I were going through the same thing. Would I try to fight back? Would I pass out from being fearful? I’m glad that I don’t have to worry about those things happening to me because; after all it was just a movie.

Book of Acts Essay

The Book of Acts The book of Act was written by Saint Luke. The date of the writing is uncertain, but most scholars favor the period 8-90 A. D. Some people think that Acts represents normative guidelines for the New Testament church for all times. In this view I think it is agreeable for the book of acts just shows the ideal church with corresponding beliefs and values. This kind of church should be present to all even up to the present times. This book, in which St. Luke records the actions of the apostles, particularly of St. Peter and St. Paul, (whose companion in travel he was,) is as it were the centre between the Gospel and the Epistles. It contains, after a very brief re-capitulation of the evangelical history, a continuation of the history of Christ, the event of his predictions, and a kind of supplement to what he had before spoken to his disciples, by the Holy Ghost now given unto them. It contains also the seeds, and first stamina of all those things, which are enlarged upon in the epistles. The Gospels treat of Christ the head. The Acts show that the same things befell his body; which is animated by his Spirit, persecuted by the world, defended and exalted by God. In this book is shown the Christian doctrine, and the method of applying it to Jews, heathens, and believers; that is, to those who are to be converted, and those who are converted: the hindrances of it in particular men, in several kinds of men, in different ranks and nations: the propagation of the Gospel, and that grand revolution among both Jews and heathens: the victory thereof, in Spite of all opposition, from all the power, malice, and wisdom of the whole world, spreading from one chamber into temples, houses, streets, markets, fields, inns, prisons, camps, courts, chariots, ships, villages, cities, islands: to Jews, heathens, magistrates, generals, soldiers, eunuchs, captives, slaves, women, children, sailors: to Athens, and at length to Rome. Others view it as only descriptive for the 1st century church. Descriptive in the sense that it only describes the pattern and how the church worked during that period of time. The term â€Å"Acts† is not used, as it is sometimes with us, to denote decrees or laws or having to describe it, but it denotes the doings of the apostles. It is a record of what the apostles did in founding and establishing the Christian church. It is worthy of remark, however, that it contains a record of the doings of Peter and Paul. Peter was commissioned to open the doors of the Christian church to both Jews and Gentiles, and Paul was chosen to bear the gospel especially to the pagan world. As these two apostles were the most prominent and distinguished in founding and organizing the Christian church, it was deemed proper that a special and permanent record should be made of their labors. While some think that it is both a normative guidelines and a description of the church of the 1st century. At the beginning of the book the author states his purpose and that is to explain to Theophilus, and to the world, how Christianity arose and began its sweep across the earth. By this time Christianity appeared to be on the way to becoming a world religion, and some account of its beginning was needed so that it might appeal to cultured and learned people. It talks about the Day of Pentecost, empowered by the Holy Spirit; the apostles take the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the Mediterranean world. The title is misleading, for Acts is not a record of all the original disciples of Jesus. The book gives the early history of Christianity from Christ’s ascension outside Jerusalem to Paul’s visit in Rome. Chapters 1-12 stress the work of Peter in Judea and nearby lands, mainly among Jews. Chapters 13- 28 tell of the far- ranging missionary preaching of Paul, mainly to gentiles. In my opinion it is a normative guideline for the New Testament church. In the book of Acts, it is shown how the people and the believer should act before God. All antiquity is unanimous in ascribing this book to Luke as its author. It is repeatedly mentioned and quoted by the early Christian writers, and without a dissenting voice is mentioned as the work of Luke. The same thing is clear from the book itself. It professes to have been written by the same person who wrote the Gospel of Luke, Ac 1:1; was addressed to the same person, and bears manifest marks of being from the same pen. It is designed evidently as a continuation of his Gospel, as in this book he has taken up the history at the very time where he left it in the Gospel, Ac 1:1, 2. It also shows that the Holy Spirit is really with His people if they will ask from it, for the Holy Spirit will be their comforter and friend. The church nowadays should be guided by the Holy Spirit for a strong foundation. The gospel should be well delivered and evangelized throughout the world by the believers. They should acts upon what is right just like what Paul and Peter did in the book of Acts where in they weren’t afraid to spread the good news among all people. This book has commonly been regarded as a history of the Christian church, and of course the first ecclesiastical history that was written. But it cannot have been designed as a general history of the church. Many important transactions have been omitted. It gives no account of the church at Jerusalem after the conversion of Paul; it omits his journey into Arabia, Gad 1:17; gives no account of the propagation of the gospel in Egypt, or in Babylon, 1Pe 5:13; of the foundation of the church at Rome; of many of Paul’s voyages and shipwrecks, 2Co 11:25; and omits to record the labors of most of the apostles, and confines the narrative chiefly to the transactions of Peter and Paul. References: 1. Book of Acts. New Standard Encyclopedia. Volume 2. Pages 355-356. 2. Youth Bible. Holy Bible Contemporary English Version, Global Edition. Pages 861-871 3. Acts of the Apostles. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Acts_of_the_Apostles

What To Do if You Miss Your ACT Test

What To Do if You Miss Your ACT Test Maybe you were sick- you were up all night, feverish and full of aches - so when the morning of your test came around, you just werent up to testing. Or, perhaps you just didnt feel prepared. You hadnt taken the time to study for the ACT, so on the morning of the exam, you decided to miss your ACT test and figure it out later, even though you had already registered. What in the world do you do now? Its pretty simple, really. Youre going to apply for an ACT Test Date Change. ACT Test Date Change Procedures First, go to actstudent.org and log into your account.Once youre in your account, select Make changes to your registration.Follow the prompts to select a new test date, making note of the regular and late registration deadlines.If youre trying to change your test date and its already beyond the late registration period, then youll need to apply for Standby Testing. ACT Test Date Change Cost Although youve already paid the registration fee for the ACT or ACT Plus Writing test, youll have to pay the test date change fee. In addition, youll be charged the regular ACT registration fee for the new date, or, if you register late, the late registration fee as well. ACT Test Date Change Issues If you dont have access to your account for some reason- perhaps youre on a mountaintop with no WIFI- then contact ACT at 319-337-1270 to change your ACT test date. Make sure you have the following information in hand when you call so youre not scrambling down the mountain attempting to quickly locate your moms credit card at base camp: Your name exactly as it appears on the ID you will use when you go to take the testA credit cardYour addressThe test center where youd like to testThe test date on which youd like to test Get Ready for Your Next ACT Test Date Even though you didnt make it to the test center to take the ACT this time around, youll have another chance. Theres still plenty of time to do well on your college admissions exam. If you opted out of taking the ACT because you were unprepared, then take this additional time to prepare and study. There are several ways to get ready for the ACT exam without spending a fortune or months of time. Look into online resources, including sample test questions provided by the ACT.

Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar)

Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) The World Conservation Union ranks the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, on its list of 100 of the Worlds Most Invasive Alien Species. If you live in the northeastern U.S., you will heartily agree with that characterization of this tussock moth. Accidentally introduced to the U.S. in the late 1860s, the gypsy moth now consumes a million acres of forest each year, on average. A little knowledge about this insect goes a long way toward containing its spread. Description Gypsy moth adults, with somewhat drab coloring, may escape notice unless they are present in large numbers. Males are capable of flight and fly from tree to tree looking for mates among the flightless females. Sex pheremones guide the males, who use large, plumous antennae to sense the chemical scent of females. Males are light brown with wavy markings on their wings; females are white with similar wavy markings. Egg masses appear buff colored and are laid on the bark of trees or other surfaces where the adults have pupated. Since the female cannot fly, she lays her eggs close to the spot where she emerged from her pupal case. The female covers the egg mass with hairs from her body to insulate it from the winter cold. Egg masses laid on firewood or vehicles add to the difficulty of containing the invasive gypsy moth. Caterpillars emerge from their egg cases in spring, just as tree leaves are opening. The gypsy moth caterpillar, like other tussock moths, is covered in long hairs giving it a fuzzy appearance. Its body is gray, but the key to identifying a caterpillar as a gypsy moth lies in the dots along its back. A late stage caterpillar develops pairs of blue and red dots - usually 5 pairs of blue dots in the front, followed by 6 pairs of red dots. Newly emerged larvae crawl to the ends of branches and hang from silk threads, letting the wind carry them to other trees. Most travel up to 150 feet on the breeze, but some can go as far as a mile, making control of gypsy moth populations a challenge. Early stage caterpillars feed near the tops of trees during the night. When the sun comes up, the caterpillars will descend and find shelter under leaves and branches. Later stage caterpillars will feed on lower branches, and may be observed crawling to new trees as defoliation spreads. Classification Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass - InsectaOrder - LepidopteraFamily - LymantriidaeGenus - LymantriaSpecies - dispar Diet Gypsy moth caterpillars feed on a huge number of host tree species, making them a serious threat to our forests. Their preferred foods are the leaves of oaks and aspens. Adult gypsy moths do not feed. Life Cycle The gypsy moth undergoes complete metamorphosis in four stages - egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Egg - Eggs are laid in masses in late summer and early fall. Gypsy moths overwinter in the egg cases.Larva - Larvae develop within their egg cases in the fall, but remain inside in a state of diapause until spring when food is available. The larvae go through 5-6 instars and feed for 6-8 weeks.Pupa - Pupation typically occurs within the crevices of bark, but pupal cases may also be found on cars, houses, and other manmade structures.Adult - Adults emerge in two weeks. After mating and laying eggs, the adults die. Special Adaptations and Defenses Hairy tussock moth caterpillars, including the gypsy moth, can irritate the skin when handled. The caterpillars can spin a silk thread, which helps them disperse from tree to tree on the wind. Habitat Hardwood forests in temperate climates. Range The gypsy moth has been spotted in nearly every state in the U.S., though populations are heaviest in the northeast and Great Lakes region. The native range of Lymantri dispar is Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Other Common Names: European Gypsy Moth, Asian Gypsy Moth (Note: the Asian Gypsy Moth is actually a strain of Lymantria dispar native to Russia.) Sources Gypsy Moth in North America, US Department of AgricultureGarden Insects of North America, by Whitney Cranshaw