Tree Caterpillars (Why isn't anyone doing anything) (live, to move)

[Chicago3rd]

As a newby to this beautiful state I'm a little baffled by the lack of urgency to stop the massive tree defoliation of the trees around Rhode Island, specifically Washington County, and southern Mass. Why isn't there any spraying for the caterpillars? I know a lot of people hate spraying...but why doesn't massive tree loss and newly created fuel for forest fires (dead trees) concern anyone in this state?

[ormari]

Originally Posted by Chicago3rd

As a newby to this beautiful state I'm a little baffled by the lack of urgency to stop the massive tree defoliation of the trees around Rhode Island, specifically Washington County, and southern Mass. Why isn't there any spraying for the caterpillars? I know a lot of people hate spraying...but why doesn't massive tree loss and newly created fuel for forest fires (dead trees) concern anyone in this state?

To be clear to the reader, the outbreak we have been having recently is the gypsy moth caterpillar. During the last couple of years, the winter moth caterpillar has been an issue, but this year the winter moth is not the problem. These things go in cycles and eventually they'll succumb to one population control or another.

New England went through a gypsy moth outbreak in the 70s-80s. It's true that some trees were lost. But natural fungi ended up taking care of them.

I don't favor spraying to deal with the problem. The sprays target all caterpillars, not just gypsy moth caterpillars. And while some sprays are less harmful than others, poisons tend to move their way up the food chain. Through biomagnification the poisons concentrate in predators; the more poison you eat, the more ends up stored in your body. Don't forget that there are in fact a number of birds that eat gypsy moth caterpillars. From the US Forest Service:

Predators

Whereas parasites are usually smaller than the host they attack and develop within a single individual, predators usually are larger than their prey and consume many hosts insect during the course of their life. They are very active, live longer, and are opportunistic in that they may prey upon a variety of insects, depending on what is available.

Although predators destroy many life stages of the gypsy moth, their importance has probably been underestimated because they consume their prey quickly and leave few if any remains. Woodland mammals can consume large numbers of gypsy moth larvae and pupae in forested areas. Some mammals eat only one life stage of gypsy moth., while others may eat as many as three. Some mammalian predators of the gypsy moth include the white-footed mouse (fig. 34), shrews, chipmunks, voles, and squirrels. Shrews, which are often mistaken for mice, are voracious insect feeders (fig. 35) that consume their own weight in prey each day. Unfortunately, mice and shrews are probably not important as predators in ssuburbansettings because they are eliminated by domestic animals such as the common cat and because their natural habitat, forest litter, is frequently destroyed.

Many species of birds have been observed feeding on gypsy moth larvae or adults. Nuthatches, chickadees (fig. 36), towhees, vireos, northern orioles, catbirds, robins, and blue jays are probably more important in sparse gypsy moth populations. Cuckoos (fig. 37) and flocking species such as starlings, grackles, red-winged blackbirds, and crows may be attracted to areas where the gypsy moth exists in large numbers.

I think it is better to let the predators do their work without poison. I have observed catbirds and robins eating lots of gypsy moths. I certainly don't want to poison them.

[Chicago3rd]

Thank you!

[IaminRI]

What they would have sprayed is a bacteria that kills the caterpillars after they ingest it, but it has to be done before they hatch as it works best when they are small.
One problem I read about is that this year was that it was very dry and a number of caterpillars that would have died from fungus didn't.
Other than that, there are pheromones that can be distributed to disrupt the moths mating cycle, but generally I've read they are only really effective where gypsy moths are not established yet. But that hasn't stopped me from ordering a bunch and making some traps. I ordered these : Scentry Gypsy Moth Lure | GEMPLER'S
and made some of these traps Making Homemade Gypsy Moth Traps
I already started catching a few, the moths seem to be emerging this week.
I'll also use the phermone with a bug zapper minus the light so I only attract the gypsy moths to it.
Probably won't make much of a dent, but it will make me feel like I'm doing something

[JBtwinz]

I remember how bad they were in the 70's and 80's.

I can remember sitting in the woods and I could swear I could hear them eating or maybe it was the droppings from their eating the leaves is what I heard.

The big thing then was to put automotive grease around the tree or sticky tape. I can picture looking up at the tree limbs and it was like after all the leaves had dropped in the fall.

[mr2448]

Originally Posted by JBtwinz

I remember how bad they were in the 70's and 80's.

I can remember sitting in the woods and I could swear I could hear them eating or maybe it was the droppings from their eating the leaves is what I heard.

The big thing then was to put automotive grease around the tree or sticky tape. I can picture looking up at the tree limbs and it was like after all the leaves had dropped in the fall.

that is exactly what it has been like. The sound of their eating and their droppings plus the undigested leaves had been incredible. It was difficult to take hikes and their poop blackened sidewalks and trails. A big problem with trying to do away with them is that the locales they have affected are mostly areas where people have their own wells. The poison spray one could use on their trees would affect the water in their well. Many are choosing not to spray and we are hoping mother nature will take care of them this coming winter and next spring.

[JBtwinz]

Hey MR2448, got to love Chepachet. My twins just returned after six weeks with family. Nice quiet part of the state. Enjoy the rest of the summer

[RichCapeCod]

They were brutal in Wellfleet (Cape Cod). Also, my wife and I wound up developing a several week long itch on various parts of the body which we believe came from the caterpillars. Neighbors had a similar issue.

Rich

[mr2448]

Originally Posted by RichCapeCod

They were brutal in Wellfleet (Cape Cod). Also, my wife and I wound up developing a several week long itch on various parts of the body which we believe came from the caterpillars. Neighbors had a similar issue.

Rich

rashes for those with sensitive skin and people with asthma had trouble breathing

[timberline742]

It has been very dry which has suppressed the fungus that has kept gypsy moths in check for the past many years, not much can be done about any one outbreak after it has occurred.