An adult male lymantria moth. The caterpillars feed on tree leaves and have defoliated entire sections of forest in Ontario and the eastern United States in recent years. (Government of B.C.)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

invasive species

Invasive moth spray program coming to mid Island

Feb 10, 2022 | 2:11 PM

NANAIMO — Parts of the mid-island will be getting a pesticide aerial-spray treatment this spring to deal with an invasive moth species.

The caterpillars of the Lymantria moth feed on tree leaves and can damage forests, farms, orchards, and urban trees. Spraying early in the season kills their larvae and prevents them from becoming established.

The planned 2022 treatment areas on Vancouver Island include 1,068 hectares south of Nanoose Bay to the edge of Nanaimo’s northern border, according to a news release from the province.

Provincial forest entomologist Tim Ebata said that area is a good breeding ground for them.

“It’s composed of mainly conifer trees but there are enough deciduous hosts in there to sustain a population.”

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There will be as many as four applications of pesticide between April 15 and June 30, 2022.

If left untreated, the invasive Lymantria moths could spread to other areas of the province and pose to threat to native vegetation.

These moths are unintentionally brought to B.C., and the species population has increased dramatically because of outbreaks in Ontario and Quebec, Ebata said.

“We really don’t know how they got here. We suspect somebody moved into the area, could be campers. We really don’t know, it’s really hard to trace the source.”

Egg masses are commonly transported to B.C. on recreational vehicles and outdoor household articles which originated in affected areas.

Trees such as Garry oak, arbutus, red alder, aspen, cottonwood, maple, orchard fruit trees, nut trees and many species of urban ornamental trees would be affected, as well as food crops such as apples, blueberries and other fruits.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development applied for an amendment to its existing pesticide use permit issues in March of 2021.

Foray 48B is used in organic farming and its active ingredients are naturally present in soil across the province. It has been approved for the control of Lymantria moth larvae in Canada since 1961.

It does not harm humans, mammals, birds, fish, plants, reptiles, amphibians, bees or other insects. It only affects Lymantria moth caterpillars after they ingest it.

Other areas of the island which will receive this treatment include 50 hectares south of Thetis Lake Regional Park and the Trans-Canada Highway, and 402 hectares at the easternmost tip of Cowichan Lake, including part of the Town of Lake Cowichan.

Any residents in the affected areas are welcome to submit their comments about this application and can write to the Management Act administrator, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, Suite 200-10470 152 St., Surrey B.C., V3R 0Y3, by March 12, 2022, referring to Permit No. 738-0032-21/24.

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