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I was out driving and in the woods west of Ottawa this weekend (as far as the Lanark Highlands), and noticed that many trees are completely defoliated by gypsy moth caterpillars. Caterpillars are everywhere. It's very bad. I hope these trees survive. Has anyone else noticed this?
Yes, I was at my buddies cottage in Sharbot lake last summer and the oak trees were devastated by them. Not a leaf in sight.
He was supposed to get aerial spraying done this spring along with his neighbours.
The trees cannot take repeated stressful defoliate year after year.
Yes the same here in the bush it sounds like rain there is so much crap falling
Yes, I noticed the same.Quote:
Originally Posted by 3030
I am pretty sure that the area where I noticed this problem was not really affected last year. I started going to this area in August and throughout the fall last year, and the tree canopy appeared normal. Apparently, some trees can regrow leaves after losing them in the spring, but I doubt that the canopy would appear completely normal.
The last infestation that I remember that was this bad was in the early eighties, when I was just a kid. My brother and I and our friends certainly did our part back then to get rid of these pests. We found so many creative ways to kill them, and we did it by the hundreds. I used to feel bad about that, and thought that the neighbours probably thought we were animals. That was before I realized that these caterpillars are actually an invasive species. Right now, if I saw kids doing what we used to do, I would thank them!
It was either 1990 or 1991 can't remember now but I was doing tree spraying up in the Muskokas for what I called the Gypsy Wars they were eating everything in sight pine trees, spruce etc. Hardwood trees will generally survive but Pines will die. I was climbing 40 ft ladders with a full respirator and wearing rain pants and rain coat and spraying the pesticide Sevin XLR Plus 75 ft and covering whole forest we do do about 50 properties a day mostly spraying for the rich on their properties.
My property in Perth County is totally covered in them. So far its mostly the Poplar or Aspen type trees being chowed upon. Some of the smaller trees are already 100% consumed. Ash dead, Elm dying, now this. My trees are taking an kicking the last few years.
I was going to say...last year was worse here. Hardly a nest to be seen this year. I make a point to drive around and clip the nests off and burn them every spring.Quote:
Originally Posted by rf2
I'm just south of Bancroft and there lots everywhere. Devastating to the trees
The ones that make those nests (tents) are not gypsy moth caterpillars.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePal
Definitely a increase this year...I remember when I was a kid, we were driving to a friend's cottage...and the roads were slippery due to the amount of them....
Every couple years the Gipsy Moth show up down here - we have a lot of oak trees around here and they hit them hard - when the infestation is bad the county uses a helicopter to spray the mountain behind my house - what I do is spray the eggs that are attached to the trees around my yard with an oil type spray and that kills the eggs so they don't hatch - by doing this I have kept them from damaging the trees around my yard - one thing to note is that the female can't fly and she crawls up the tree to lay her eggs so usually the eggs are on the lower branches or lower trunk - eventually some virus attacks them and wipes them out - then we don't see them for awhile - if an oat tree is hit two years in a row it usually dies
Thanks...I always thought they were the caterpillar that turned into the Gypsy moth.Quote:
Originally Posted by rf2
Must be a coincidence, because I know there are fewer Gypsy moths in this area this spring. AND there are also fewer tent caterpillars this year. I'm sure both were worse last year.
There were a few around here last year but this year the invasion is going full bore. Every single oak around here is totally defoliated, basswood are getting hit hard too and maples so so. Lot's of apple trees being defoliated as well. I've wrapped duct tape around the trunk of my apple trees and smeared it with vaseline to stop them from climbing up the tree but two of them are under the canopy of the big oak beside the house so they've been landing on the tree heavy, specially my golden delicious. I'm out there three times a day spraying them with the hose to knock them off the leaves and branches. I'm also going through 4 gallons of soapy spray mixed with blue dawn ultra, it kills them good on the foundation of the house by the thousands and also on some vegetation but it needs to be rinsed off or it burns the leaves. Here's a pic of the base of that apple tree the other day that shows how well that vaseline barrier works. It concentrates them well so I can kill hundreds at a shot with just a 30 second spray.
Attachment 41907
Very nervous about the 600+ year old oak in my backyard. It covers 4 properties. Have seen some caterpillars ,but no damage seen yet. Can't talk the neighbours into getting it sprayed.
edited: caterpillars not moths
I remember that too back in the 80's, my dad was throwing them by the handful into the river and the fish would go into a frenzy for them. I've been cutting branches off that have the tents on them and burning them ever since. Last year I cut five branches off a crab apple tree and a black walnut, they're not that bad here yet but I did squish two on the deck the other day.Quote:
Originally Posted by LiveBates
Instead of cutting off branches I use a hand held propane torch to wipe out the tents. Works great!Quote:
Originally Posted by WillieBeno
If you know a farmer or someone who handles pesticides see if you can get some Diazinon or some Sevin, that mic up in a spray can spray your trees. Works quick.
Tried that once with a hornets nest, never again!Quote:
Originally Posted by impact
The time to deal with gypsy moths is when the eggs are on the tree - you just spray an oil type solution on the eggs sometime in early spring and that kills the eggs - you have no problem with caterpillars then and it is a lot easier then spraying some chemical once they hatch and climb all over the tree - I have been doing that for years and works great
Actually what's used mostly is btk. It kills mostly caterpillars but not many other insects. That's what they use for aerial spraying in forested areas where the infestations can wipe out huge swaths of trees. It still needs to be used when the larvae are quite small. Can't find it anywhere now, all sold out and on back order.Quote:
Originally Posted by greatwhite
https://www.gardenmyths.com/btk-baci...ensis-kustaki/
BTK take 3 - 5 days to actually start working. I have used it before.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smitty55
The robins are gorging on them at our place. Things are really dry and I imagine the worms have gone deep, nature finds a way sometimes
Yup on the Kemptville gardeners FB page it is a big topic. It seems a bad year for them. Even the chicken pages I follow say chickens and ducks won't eat them. Good news is, we have very little trees on our property around gardens, but I noticed many apple trees are infested them along the road.