Nature Miramichi:

From: verpep@bellaliant.net <verpep@bellaliant.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2021 4:31 PM
Subject: Look out for these

Hello everyone,

I have seen the Tent Caterpillar occasionally and promptly removed them from my plants. So far this year I had only the one which was promptly removed. They generally come across from the forest and fields across the street.

However this afternoon while walking through our backyard I saw another caterpillar for the first time. I thought Oh what is it? It had nice colouriing. I relocated it to some weeds centre of the yard. I came in the house and looked it up. It turns out to be an LDD moth (gypsy moth which will be renamed due to the name slur). I went back outside to try to find it again. Luckily I did and promptly got rid of it. It says you can put them in soapy water and this way discard them afterwards. Some people apparantly have broken out in rashes from touching them, and simply because of the infestation and their droppings. I always garden with gloves on, and use other things to pick them up with, a stick etc.

This moth had been in Ontario and Quebec. It is quite problematic in Ontario this year, defoliating trees, had done this in Toronto leaving Oak trees bare. According to the web it states it is mainly in southern Canada, but here we have it as well. As most Insects they go in cycles.

Sometimes the pretty looking things can be the bad guys.

If you have trees, or ornamentals you may want to check them.

Verica