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Five parks in London – and one of the city’s largest outdoor recreation areas – were sprayed early Thursday to protect trees from gypsy moth caterpillars.
A helicopter sprayed a treatment to fend off the tree killer over the five parks and Boler Mountain at daybreak.
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Try refreshing your browser, or Aerial attack launched on gypsy moth caterpillars in city parks, Boler Back to video
The city gave residents 48 hours notice of its plan to spray a bio-pesticide to target the caterpillars that have decimated trees in parts of London and throughout Southwestern Ontario the past two years.
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Byron, everyone loves your stately oak trees.
Including unfortunately gypsy moth caterpillars that will munch on a mighty oak until all of the greenery is gone.
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Try refreshing your browser. Why are Byron parks being sprayed? Because gypsy moth caterpillars love oaks Back to video
That’s why city hall is targeting five city parks four in west-end Byron for spraying with a bio-pesticide that will kill the European gypsy moth caterpillars while they are still young and before they start gnawing every leaf in sight.
The city announced the list of parks Tuesday: Crestwood Woods, Grandview Park, Griffith Street Park, Somerset Woods and Fairmont Park. Fairmont, located south of Old East Village, is the only one not in Byron.
MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. The City of London will spray trees in five municipal parks in an effort to control infestations of the European gypsy moth. Fairmont Park, Grandview Park, Griffith Street Park, Crestwood Woods and Somerset Woods are being targeted a total area of more than 34 acres of municipal parkland. The pesticide spraying is planned for May 10-31, weather permitting, and confirmed dates will be posted on the city s website and Facebook page 48 hours ahead. The city says homeowners adjacent to the properties have been notified, but anyone with questions can contact the manager of the city s Urban Forestry department, Jill-Anne Spence.
LONDON, ONT. City Hall is preparing an aerial assault to combat a voracious threat facing the Forest City. A staff report to the Planning and Environment Committee recommends expanding city hall’s management plan for gypsy moths to include the aerial spraying of a bacteria onto several infested parks. European gypsy moths are an invasive species that defoliates trees and drop pellets of feces from overhead. Their cyclical population has been climbing in Byron, Hyde Park, and Argyle despite traditional population controls including egg removal. “Each summer they’re all throughout these branches and leaves,” explains Kaitlyn Burden in her back yard in Byron.