This map, prepared by Mike Bradley of URI, compares imagery before and after the 2016 defoliation by gypsy moths and forest tent caterpillars.  You can scroll around the state and zoom into your neighborhood for a closer look.  Start by shifting the bar to the left to see the huge defoliation in Arcadia. To view the map, click here.

The 2016 defoliation,  which severely affected 200,000 acres of forest in RI, was our worst defoliation since 1986 when 219,000 acres of trees were affected. Back in 1982 an even more severe defoliation occurred, affecting more than 300,000 acres.  In 2016, some areas of RI were also defoliated by forest tent caterpillars (not to be confused with eastern tent caterpillars that make visible tents).

For more information on the 2016 defoliation, see this article.