Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2018 | Press & Media, News & Announcements
Thank you to all who have contacted the City of Wyoming with concerns related to gypsy moths. The first thing we want to convey is that we are aware of your frustrations related to the gypsy moth spray, damage to your trees and the mess left behind by the gypsy moth’s activities. We are documenting calls and relaying that information to the City Council and our gypsy moth consultant. Furthermore, the calls and emails are of value as they will help determine where treatment will occur in the future.
The City’s gypsy moth spray occurred on June 5; however, we have heard from several residents, including a significant number from the Chateau area, that the spray has not been as effective as it has been in the past. In speaking with our consultant, there are a number of factors that come into play in the treatment program. Under ideal spray conditions, 80% mitigation is expected. He feels that extreme cold in April combined with extreme heat in May disrupted many of the gypsy moths’ normal patterns and resulted in fewer gypsy moth larva ingesting the product.
Due to the moth’s life cycle and the complexity of coordinating a community-wide spray, the City is not able to conduct a secondary treatment. Homeowners are encouraged to explore mitigation efforts of their own that would best serve the needs of individual properties. Our consultant has recommended some products that could be of assistance, including:
- Thuricide (sold under various brand names) – read the label to ensure it contains Btk
- Tanglefoot – this is a wrap that goes around the tree trunk and it prevents the caterpillars from going up to the tree canopy to eat
- Pheromone traps are another option, though they are not as effective
One resident has shared with us that due to her allergy to the gypsy moth caterpillars and their silks, she hires a private contractor to treat her smaller trees and ornamentals. This may be something residents wish to explore and we encourage collaboration within neighborhoods. There are other products and options that can be used, however, our consultant urges caution as some products can have an off-species impact, effecting butterflies, bees and other pollinators.
We are disappointed that the results of the spray were not as successful as previous years and will certainly be reassessing our efforts for next year. We appreciate the patience and understanding of residents as this issue is largely a natural phenomenon that is out of our control. Please monitor the City of Wyoming Facebook page or website for more information should it become available.
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