By Bill McNee, DNR forest health specialist, Oshkosh, bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0942
Gypsy moth eggs should start hatching in a few weeks as temperatures continue to warm. Homeowners should survey their trees for egg masses and either treat or remove the eggs now to help protect trees from defoliation and reduce future caterpillar populations.
Property owners should start by looking for the egg masses. They can be found on nearly any outdoor surface, including tree trunks, undersides of branches, buildings, firewood piles and other outdoor objects. They are tan-colored lumps about the size of a nickel or quarter. Each egg mass can contain 500 to 1,000 eggs that will soon hatch into hungry caterpillars. While statewide gypsy moth numbers are currently low, isolated trees and locations may have high populations.
Gypsy moth larvae hatch from egg masses on outdoor bowl.
If egg masses are found, there are two options to help reduce pest numbers. Available at many garden centers and retail stores, horticultural oils that suffocate the eggs can be directly applied to the masses. These are most effective when temperatures are above 40 degrees and a return to freezing is not imminent. Alternatively, egg masses within reach can be scraped into a can of soapy water and left to soak for a few days before being discarded in the trash.
Insecticide treatments may be appropriate for larger trees that have many egg masses. Some types of treatment are done before eggs hatch, and some are done while the caterpillars are small. Property owners looking to hire a business to treat large yard trees this spring should contact them soon. A list of certified arborists is available on the Wisconsin Arborist Association website. Additional businesses offering insecticide treatments may be found online or in a phone book. Questions about woodlot management should be directed to a professional forester.
Additional information about management options for homeowners, including sticky barrier bands and burlap collection bands, is available at the Wisconsin gypsy moth website.
“I have an opportunity to be a voice in the conversation.” As a new member of the Council on Forestry, Jordan Skiff, Fond du Lac public works director and Urban Forestry Council chair, will be an advocate for urban and community forestry, sharing its challenges and proclaiming its benefits. Skiff fills the urban forestry seat vacated by Dr. R. Bruce Allison in December 2016.
Wisconsin Active Together starts 2019 by recognizing fourteen new communities from across the state for their efforts to promote active lifestyles and for their pledge to do more–because in addition to celebrating accomplishments, communities can make resolutions to foster health too! Where we live impacts our wellness and the newly named Wisconsin Active Together Communities, now reaching 1.4 million Wisconsinites across the state, know that even small changes in the landscape and in promoting physical activity can add up to creating lasting changes for everyone’s benefit. And your community can now also apply to be recognized in 2019 for its commitment to advancing strategies for safe places to walk, bike, and be active while getting connected to resources, training, and a peer network of experts.
