Help Save Our Trees from 2021 Gypsy Moth Outbreak
When our beautiful lake and watershed are bombarded by multiple threats, many of you ask, “what CAN I do?” CLWA has a new volunteer opportunity to get some fresh air, learn about the relationship between healthy trees and clean water, and physically remove egg masses of the invasive European gypsy moth before they hatch later this spring!
In the spring and summer of 2020, the population of gypsy moths exploded in our region, causing significant defoliation to native hardwood trees. Gypsy moth caterpillars eat young, tender leaves in the spring. Deciduous trees can regrow a new set of leaves by July and can usually withstand two to three successive years of defoliation. However, defoliation reduces the vigor and resistance of trees, and they become more susceptible to drought, pests, and diseases.
Trees die when other stresses, such as disease or other insect outbreaks, attack them in the same year. When populations of gypsy moths are extremely high, as they have been in our watershed, they will even eat evergreen species. Evergreens do not regrow leaves as easily as deciduous trees and can die because of complete defoliation.
What can you do? Volunteer for CLWA’s Gypsy Moth Scout & Scrape-a-thon scheduled for Saturday, April 17th; Friday, April 24th and Saturday, May 1st. We will identify and remove gypsy moth egg masses at these three, family-friendly events held at different parks around the lake with noted infestations. One egg mass can contain 600 to 1,000 eggs, so destroying as many as possible will help in the effort to reduce the spring hatch.
Register below for one or more Scout & Scrape-a-thon events so we can gauge interest and be sure to have proper supplies on hand.
CLWA will provide a short training and materials needed; you provide the interest, personal face masks, and gloves. We will maintain a physically safe distance from each other, wear masks, and enjoy making a dent in the gypsy moth population in an environmentally safe manner.