The European Gypsy Moth
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The European Gypsy Moth can wreak havoc on your trees. Our specialized pest control service effectively combats these harmful insects, ensuring your trees stay healthy, vibrant, and moth-free.
The European Gypsy Moth:
A Threat to Your Property That Tree Doctors Can Help You With
Gypsy Moths are a threat to your property, to your trees, and to your garden. Call Tree Doctors to stop an infestation dead in its tracks, or to take preventative action to save you money in the long run. Contact Tree Doctors today to book an appointment or to learn more about how we can help you stop this devastating problem.
When most people think of moths, they don't usually see them as harmful pests that need to be taken care of; typically moths are benign insects that can safely be left alone. However, there is an exception that people in the GTA need to know about: the European Gypsy Moth (Limara Dispar Dispar). Tree Doctors have had to deal with these pesky moths for a long time, as they have been a long-standing threat when it comes to many types of plants and vegetation, all throughout the Greater Toronto Area. While these moths may look innocent, the damage they can do can be swift and severe. Luckily, Tree Doctors can help you stop these moths dead in their tracks before they get going, or fix an infestation, no matter how bad it may be.
While Tree Doctors have been dealing with these pests for years, they now have picked up the slack caused by governmental changes. This is why this season is THE most important season for you to call us to get this problem solved. Historically, the city of Toronto has taken active measures to inhibit the destruction that the European Gypsy Moth can cause on both commercial and residential neighborhoods, via a combined approach of aerial pesticides, canopies on trees, and injections in order to stop the moths in their early stages of development. But in 2021, Toronto changed its approach to instead take a ground-based strategy to control the moths. While this can stop infestations in commercial areas, it does little to protect your own property. This is why you need Tree Doctors to take care of these moths, as the city of Toronto's policy change has now unintentionally made you vulnerable to residential infestations.
Tree Doctors is here to provide you with all the necessary information you need to know about European Gypsy Moths. We are trained and knowledgeable in providing the necessary preventive measures in order to stop threats like Gypsy Moths in their tracks, and ensure that that their removal is both permanent (so they don't return in future seasons) and that the methods used do not pose any risk to your health or to the foliage and trees on your property.
The Unintentional Threat
Gypsy Moths are not native to Canada. They are an invasive species that were first brought to North America via boat in the late 19th century from Europe. The settlers who brought them had pure intentions; they were designed to produce silk, and were seen as an alternative to silkworms. Unfortunately, what these settlers didn't know is that this particular type of moth can be extremely damaging to vegetation and trees. The moths quickly got out of hand and began to spread across many parts of North America, including Canada. While it wasn't known in the early 19th century, it is now widely known that the European Gypsy Moth caterpillars are ravenous feeders, and will feed indiscriminately on leaves and vegetation, leaving many residential area foliage in ruins.
Unfortunately, many people today don't realize the damage these critters can cause. This is why it is imperative that you contact Tree Doctors and get them to protect your property from this harmful invasive species. They are even capable of entirely eating all of the leaves off of trees, and, as a result, killing many of the trees that they manage to infest. This is why calling a professional company, like Tree Doctors, is so important. If the situation is not handled correctly, you may quickly see infestations spread rapidly, which can result in severe damage and even death to the trees and vegetation on your property.
The Importance of Knowing Thy Enemy
In order to deal with an infestation, especially one as hazardous as Gypsy Moths, it is important to know what they look like, and what their life cycle is. Tree Doctors knows the precise signs of infestations, which is why it's best to contact them immediately, as this problem starts at the very beginning of summer. The Gypsy Moth's life cycle is similar to any other type of moth: they start out as eggs, which eventually hatch into caterpillars, and finally undergo metamorphosis into moths. Unfortunately, while this cycle is fascinating for scientists, it ignores some key details about the destructive nature of this particular moth's life cycle, especially when they are in their egg and caterpillar forms. If you see any form of Gypsy Moth, whether in its egg, caterpillar, or moth stage, you'll want to call Tree Doctors right away in order for them to come take care of the job.
Eggs. The European Gypsy Moth lays eggs in extremely large quantities, ranging in batches between 100-1000 eggs at once. The eggs are covered in hair barbs that, if they come in contact with human skin, can cause serious irritation and other possible health complications. This is why if you see these eggs, the best thing to do is to call Tree Doctors immediately, so they can safely remove them. This will prevent damage to you, damage to pets, and, of course, will prevent them from hatching. These eggs can be laid absolutely everywhere: on trees, on vegetation, on outside furniture, and even on top of vehicles. The egg stage typically lasts around eight weeks, and even in this seemingly innocuous form, can pose a risk to anyone who happens to have the misfortune of coming into physical contact with the eggs. So make sure to call Tree Doctors ASAP so that we can ensure none of the eggs have the chance to hatch into caterpillars. Time is of the essence in this regard, because once the eggs hatch, the problem becomes much worse.
Caterpillars. But, of course, this isn't the worst part. After the eight week incubation period is over, these eggs will inevitably hatch, producing a large quantity of caterpillars that will immediately begin to seek out any vegetation and leaves that they can possibly find. They will climb up the nearest trees they can find, producing tree canopies, and begin devouring the tree one leaf at a time. One of the worst parts about this is that once they are in one tree, they can easily traverse between trees by a method known as ballooning. This is when they dangle from long strands of silk, and get blown from tree to tree, setting up new canopies once they arrive at the new trees. This means that one tree infestation can quickly lead to all the trees on your property becoming infested. It can also mean that even your neighbors trees, if infested, can cause your trees to become infested. Left unchecked, these caterpillars can do untold amounts of damage, which is why if you see even a single caterpillar, it is pivotal that you call Tree Doctors immediately. If there's one caterpillar, it's a certainty there are far more you just haven't found yet, so getting a professional company like Tree Doctors to comb your property and apply the necessary procedures can ensure no further damage is done. What's more, is that these caterpillars aren't always immediately obvious. This is why taking precautionary actions by contacting Tree Doctors is the best plan of action. Each caterpillar is capable of eating up to an entire square meter of leaves. This means that an entire infestation of them can quickly strip a tree of all its leaves, which can mean death for that tree. At Tree Doctors, we love trees, and would hate to see that happen. So call us as soon as you are made aware of the issue, and we'll protect your trees ASAP. Once these caterpillars run out of leaves, they will immediately be on the lookout for other trees of vegetation to begin ravaging. This feeding process will continue until they reach their cocoon stage. They will then stay in cocoons undergoing metamorphosis until they emerge as full grown moths. This entire cycle then repeats once the moths have mated and have produced hundreds more eggs each. It should be obvious at this point why a professional company like Tree Doctors is needed. We'll ensure that eggs won't hatch, and that all caterpillars are swiftly dealt with in a manner that's safe for you, your pets, your trees, and your property.
Having an Action Plan
Gypsy Moths can be handled in a few ways on your own, and you want to act fast before the devastation can begin to occur. Note that these at-home methods are not the best line of action. These moths can be tricky, and even missing a few eggs can mean that the entire infestation will still happen. Missing one sack sack can mean that caterpillars will still hatch, and missing a few caterpillars will mean that they will turn into moths and, in turn, lay more eggs. That's why the best way to deal with Gypsy Moths is to contact Tree Doctors, who are professionally trained to remove ALL eggs, ALL caterpillars, and ALL moths, ensuring the problem is solved this season and for the coming years ahead. Call Tree Doctors immediately and they will protect your property right away at a rate you can afford.
Soapy Water
Soapy water is a great way to stop Gypsy Moths in their tracks if you catch them in their early stages of development. Comb your property thoroughly and scrape off any eggs you can find, and place them into a bucket of soapy water to ensure they never hatch. You can also do a similar thing with the caterpillars if they are within reach; these can be hand-picked from shrubs, bushes and trees (make sure you are wearing gloves to avoid irritation) and also placed into soapy water to dispose of them. This option is really only available in the early stages of summer (May to July) when the caterpillars avoid going high into trees due to the heat. And again, it can be very hard for an untrained professional with no equipment to get every egg, so while this method can help, it is not a substitute for a professional company, like Tree Doctors. Your best line of action, should you see eggs, is to contact Tree Doctors immediately to get this pest control problem under control.
Burlap Binding
Another effective strategy in early summer is burlap binding. You can use burlap to entrap larvae on the lower area of the trees, so it's easier to dispose of them later using the soapy water method mentioned above. The steps to do this are as follows:
- Wrap burlap cloth around the trunk of your trees.
- Ensure the burlap is secure by tying a length of rope or twine around the middle of the burlap.
- Use the length of rope you just tied to drape burlap over. This will create an overland that the caterpillars will love to crawl underneath to seek shelter during the heat.
- Routinely lift the overhanging burlap to check your trap. You should do this every afternoon, and collect any caterpillars that are seeking shelter there. Once you have these predators, grab your trusty soapy water bucket and submerge them inside it.
Once again, this at-home remedy is only a band-aid solution. To truly eradicate your property of this infestation, you need to contact Tree Doctors immediately, so they can handle the problem effectively and for future seasons.
Bring in the Pesticides
If you have a minor infestation you want to get rid of, you can purchase pesticide products containing Btk from any garden store near you. Pesticides that contain Btk are very efficient at killing Gypsy Moth caterpillars, as the caterpillars will quickly wither away after eating any leaves sprayed with a Btk-containing pesticide. It's best to keep in mind though, that this method typically is only useful for small, localized infestations. Make sure to always wear a mask when applying these pesticides to avoid irritation or allergic reactions.
Anything larger than a small infestation should be left to the professionals, and even a small infestation can turn into a large infestation even if all of the above methods were carried out. This is why it's best to contact Tree Doctors and solve the problem the right way.
The Professionals
Professionals like Tree Doctors are adept at dealing with Gypsy Moths at any level of their infestation or life cycle. They have specific equipment and products that they use to ensure full elimination of all Gypsy Moth infections, without causing damage to the plant life or to your property. They also work with safety in mind, ensuring no damage is caused to any people or pets. The advantage of professionals is not only the effectiveness and safety of Gypsy Moth removal, but the fact that they also put in protective measures to ensure that repeat infestations do not occur in the near future.
If you see any signs of Gypsy Moths on your property, whether in egg, caterpillar, or moth form, don't hesitate to contact Tree Doctors. We have the knowledge and the expertise to eliminate these pests quickly and efficiently, while preserving your property in its pristine condition. Tree Doctors has been fighting (and winning) the battle against Gypsy Moths for many years, and knows exactly how to combat them at any stage of their life cycle and at any infestation size. Whether you have an active infestation or just want to ensure that your property is protected from becoming infested, Tree Doctors is available to help you and your property stay safe. Contact Tree Doctors today and get trained professionals to deal with this pest control problem before it gets out of hand. They deliver fast and lasting results, while also following all Covid-19 protocols and health regulations to ensure a safe environment for all.
Don't let Gypsy Moth infestation ruin your beautiful property. If you see any signs of Gypsy Moths, or want to be preventive before the infestation occurs, call or email Tree Doctors immediately and we'll send a team of professionals to ensure the problem is dealt with for not only this season, but also future seasons. Don't wait until things get too late; contact us today and book an appointment to stop these pests from doing irreversible damage.
Remember, every other season you have been protected by the government spraying aerially for these pesky moths. But this season, you're on your own. But with Tree Doctors, we have you covered.
So contact us today and stop the problem for good!
This is why you should always ask to see your arborist`s Proof of Insurance Certificate and WSIB Clearance Certificate.
