They’re baaaaack! And apparently here to stay. Every spring, winter moths and canker worms appear and begin eating their way through the landscape just as the trees and shrubs have leafed out. They are more than a nuisance as they can completely denude an adult tree forcing the tree to produce a second round of foliage. This puts a lot of stress on the plant. Over time this can lead to plant death. My serviceberry seems to be a favorite target as are the oaks and maples.
There’s not much I can do about the adult trees short of calling in a tree service. For my shrubs and smaller trees I have had good success the a biological insecticide called BTK (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki ). It is naturally-occuring bacterium that kills specific types of caterpillars but is generally considered safe to other animals, even those that eat the caterpillars. As with all pesticides, you should follow standard safety protocols when using it. Wear goggles, protective clothing and a dust mask and spray on a calm day. There are some groups that question the safety of BTK. A good article from Purdue University on the safety of BTK can be found here. If you search the web on “btk safety” you will find quite a few entries from reliable and authoritative sources.
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