spongy moth

Don’t Let Tree Trouble Hitch A Ride On Firewood

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Photo of spongy moth egg masses attached to a piece of firewood

A pair of spongy moth egg masses attached to a piece of firewood. Moving this firewood to another site could put trees at that site at risk in the spring. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Forest Health Outreach/Communications
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

Are you generally hesitant to give hitchhikers a free ride?

October was National Firewood Awareness Month, and even though November has arrived, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continues to urge residents and visitors to follow the same line of thinking when it comes to moving firewood.

That’s because tree-killing hitchhikers often lurk on or in firewood — including spongy moth, emerald ash borer, the fungus that causes oak wilt and other invasive insects and fungi. When untreated, infested firewood is transported away from where the tree died, those pests and fungi can later emerge to attack trees at the new site. This can happen whether that new location is in the next town or hundreds of miles away.

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DNR Debuts Video On Scraping Spongy Moth Egg Masses

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Photo of Wisconsin DNR's Andrea Diss-Torrance scraping a spongy moth egg mass off a tree.

Wisconsin DNR invasive forest insects program coordinator Andrea Diss-Torrance demonstrates scraping a spongy moth egg mass off a tree while making a video on the subject for the DNR. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Forestry Outreach/Communications Specialist
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

The fall and winter months present a perfect opportunity to protect trees by searching out and removing spongy moth egg masses.

The invasive insects currently exist only as tiny eggs, camped out in egg masses that can be found in places such as tree trunks and branches, under park picnic benches and swing sets, and under the awnings of buildings.

And now, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has debuted a short video showing exactly how to easily and safely remove egg masses to reduce next spring’s population of hungry spongy moth caterpillars.

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Time To Seek Out Spongy Moth Egg Masses

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh;
bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942

Photo of spongy moth egg masses on a tree.

Three spongy moth egg masses are found on a tree branch at Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit in Walworth County. / Photo Credit: Bill McNee, Wisconsin DNR

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is encouraging property owners to seek out and dispose of spongy moth egg masses, which were produced by adult moths during the summer.

Each spongy moth egg mass contains hundreds of eggs that will hatch into hungry, leaf-eating caterpillars in the coming spring. Large numbers of these invasive caterpillars can be a tremendous nuisance that may cause tree mortality.

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Forest Health Team Offers Seven New Fact Sheets, Updates Website

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A preview of the new Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Health fact sheet on spongy moth.

A preview of the new Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Health fact sheet on spongy moth. Graphic Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach/Communications Specialist, Fitchburg; Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Forest Health team has debuted seven new fact sheets, providing information on various forest insects and diseases as well as tips on how to deal with their emergence on your property.

The new fact sheets provide details on spongy moth, oak wilt management, spruce budworm, jack pine budworm, tamarack insects (larch casebearer and eastern larch beetle), red pine pocket decline and mortality and a comparison of common spring defoliator caterpillars (forest tent caterpillar, eastern tent caterpillar and spongy moth).

Additionally, the Forest Health team has updated and/or refreshed the look of its 13 existing fact sheets.

Continue reading “Forest Health Team Offers Seven New Fact Sheets, Updates Website” →