By CINDY LADAGE
Illinois Correspondent SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The destructive gypsy moth first arrived in the United States in 1869 as a business venture to create silk. The business never took off, and once the moth escaped, it bred to become a major pest.
The moth is established in the northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada and, unfortunately for Illinois residents, also has a foothold in the northern part of the state. The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) will hold three meetings to explain how it is trying to rid the area of moths.
The larvae eat the leaves, mostly at night. “Gypsy moth larvae grow by molting, five molts for males and six for females,” according to the website www.Treehelp.com
“Feeding occurs in the ‘instar’ stage or period between each molt. As might be expected, a caterpillar’s appetite increases with each molt. Feeding continues until mid-June or early July, when the caterpillar enters the pupal stage emerging, finally, as a moth.
“Both male and female moths exist only to reproduce once, with the male moths flying to find the females, who are too heavy to fly. After the females lay their eggs from July to September, depending on location, moths of both sexes then die.” By the time the moth reaches its final hours, the damage has been done.
The IDOA is planning three public information meetings to outline how it plans to treat areas of northern Illinois for the moth. It is a danger to deciduous hardwood trees such as maple, elm and particularly oak. The moth also may feed on apple, alder, birch, poplar and willow trees. Older larvae seek out evergreens such as pines and spruces.
The variety of trees affected by this destructive caterpillar make this pest an immense problem.
How does one identify gypsy moth larvae? The explanation given by www.treehelp.com is that egg masses appear as 1.5-inch tan or buff-colored hairs on tree trunks, outdoor furniture or the sides of buildings. Gypsy moth caterpillars change appearance as they grow.
Young caterpillars are black or brown and about 1/4-inch in length. As they grow, bumps develop along their backs along with coarse, black hairs. Each of the 11 sections of a developed caterpillar will have two colored spots, the first five pairs, blue, and the last six, red. Mature caterpillars can be as long as 2.5 inches.
IDOA stated large populations of gypsy moths are capable of stripping plants bare. This process leaves the plant vulnerable to secondary insect and disease attacks. Treatment plans include applying BTK, a naturally-occurring bacteria used by gardeners as an environmentally-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. The BTK will be applied by helicopter in late May.
The IDOA meetings, which begin at 7 p.m., are scheduled for April 9 in Oak Forest, April 10 in Naperville and April 23 in Woodridge. The first meeting will cover plans to treat 530 acres south of U.S. Route 6 and west of Illinois Route 50. It will be held in the city council chambers at Oak Forest City Hall, 15400 South Central Avenue.
The meeting April 10 will be held in Naperville City Hall, 400 South Eagle Street, to explain plans to treat 277 acres of DuPage and Will counties southeast of Naperville. At the April 23 meeting at Woodridge Village Hall, 5 Plaza Drive, state officials will discuss the treatment of 1,388 acres in Woodridge and Cog Hill.
Maps of the treatment sites will be posted on the DuPage County extension service website at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gypsymoth and for questions, contact IDOA’s Jeff Squibb at 217-558-1546.
This farm news was published in the April 9, 2008 issue of the Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. |
