The Board has received a lot of questions and concerns about the current Gypsy Moth situation. Many areas of the lake have seen large populations of the caterpillars, with Oak and Birch trees being stripped bare in some cases. While this can be distressing, and there is some concern for the health of the trees, there are a few things that members should know.

• Trees may grow back a new set of leaves before the fall, once the caterpillars have stopped feeding; this has been the case in Pinery Provincial Park, which has also been impacted by the caterpillars;
• The multi-year cycle of the caterpillar is suspected to be in the fourth and final year, with a collapse possible;
• We are past the point of any kind of aerial spray for this year: if undertaken, it needs to be done in the early spring.

In order to provide members with as much information as possible, we have been in contact with numerous people in the public and private sectors. Here is the information we have received (click on the blue text to follow a link for more information).

• Addington Highlands is not considering any spraying at this time. They suggest that property owners report infestations of this invasive species through the Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EED MapS). This helps the province identify impacted areas.
• Quinte Conservation has provided some information on treatment options and has reiterated that trees often rebound and will grow another set of leaves.
• FOCA is providing a webinar about the Gypsy Moth. Register here to find out more.
• Mazinaw-Lanark Forestry Inc. (MLFI) notified us that the MNRF will be conducting an aerial survey of the area. The SDRA followed up with the ministry and received the following response;
• The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry will be conducting aerial surveys over the next couple of weeks to determine the extent of the infestation and to determine if the Gypsy Moth cycle is in its final year. We have asked that the Ministry provide us with an update, and we will follow-up on this, as necessary.
• Zimmer Air is an aerial spraying company that provides services to spray a natural chemical that targets Gypsy Moth caterpillars. This chemical is used widely in the treatment of these caterpillars as it targets them specifically. This spraying is usually done in April/May and two applications are done over the course of 4-10 days. Zimmer Air has provided a copy of their contract and the waiver. Both of these documents can be accessed via the links provided in the email which was just sent out to SDRA members via a Paul’s POP. Discounted pricing is available where multiple adjacent properties sign up together, so we recommend you talk to your neighbours if you are interested. We understand some property owners have already contracted Zimmer Air for next year.

We will continue to provide updates as they become available and recommend that property owners remove both caterpillars and egg masses from infected trees, where possible. A common method to trap the caterpillars is to wrap a layer of burlap around a tree and fold down the top half to create a skirt. The caterpillars crawl up the tree and get trapped beneath the skirt, making it easier to remove and dispose of them. Egg masses should be scraped into a jar or bucket and soaked in a mixture of water and a liquid detergent. The use of pesticides should be carefully considered as they can be harmful to native insects, as well as plants, wildlife, and lake health.

SDRA Board