Mark Boltz-Robinson looks forward to growing apples and berries every year. The fruits go into pies, apple crisps and jams and other goodies that he sends to family in Germany.

After the coronavirus pandemic, he'd hoped to use the harvest to renew the relationships that have been difficult to maintain over the past year.But that's impossible since gypsy moth caterpillars wiped his trees and bushes clean this year. Instead of up to 90 pounds of apples and 18 quarts of berries, Boltz-Robinson says all he has bare branches.