FOCA recently released an informative article on how to prevent your trees from being defoliated by the Gypsy moths this year. This is a major problem in Ontario as are Japanese beetles and Emerald Ash Boarers, “severe” defoliation is expected. They have started hatching now with 90% predicted to hatch by the 3rd week of May so now is the time to combat them before they do too much damage to the trees on your property.
To find out if gypsy moth is present in a wooded area on your property, you should take a walk in your woodlot and look for gypsy moth egg masses. Egg masses are approximately the size of a quarter, and are covered with tan coloured, fuzzy hairs. They look like a piece of chamois. You can find them on the underside of tree branches, in bark crevices, and on branches, logs, and rocks on the ground.
Tree species that are very susceptible to gypsy moth include oak, poplar, aspen, birch, and basswood. Pine and cedar are also susceptible and cannot recover from lost foliage the way deciduous trees can.
Burlap tree wraps and egg mass removal seem to be the easiest option as the insecticide recommended is already sold out in many stores. Take action now to protect your trees and property!
https://foca.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Gypsy-Moth-Information-April-2021-from-EOMF.pdf
