Town of Oakville postpones today’s gypsy moth aerial spray

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Published June 4, 2021 at 12:20 pm

The Town of Oakville has postponed today’s (June 4) aerial spray in its woodlands which aims to combat the damaging effects of gypsy moths.

The treatment was supposed to be conducted by a helicopter, but due to foggy weather this morning, it was unable to take off.

“Due to unfavourable weather conditions at the airport this morning (fog), the helicopter was not able to take off. The Gypsy Moth aerial spray has been cancelled for today and tentatively rescheduled for Monday (June 7),” said the Town of Oakville on Twitter.

The gypsy moth is a non-native insect that is considered a major pest in North America. Due to the damage they can cause on trees, the town is diligent when it comes to tracking their populations as well as new outbreaks.

These insects have pupated and laid their eggs by the summer months, which is why management actions need to be taken ahead of time. The larvae, or caterpillar stage, of this insect, can potentially devour every leaf of a tree’s canopy, which could result in a significant loss of trees.

The treatment, which will now be conducted on June 7, is a naturally occurring soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) that is poisonous to certain types of caterpillars when ingested but not harmful to humans, other insects or animals.

For more information on the town’s aerial spray program and how to take action to help stop gypsy moths from harming trees, click here.

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