May 2, 2012
The Province of Manitoba, in collaboration with the City of Winnipeg, is holding a public information session about plans to control a population of gypsy moths in and around the St. Vital Park area in Winnipeg.
Gypsy moths were accidentally introduced to the United States in 1869. They spread throughout the northeast United States to Quebec and Ontario in the 1970s and into the Maritimes in 1981.
Gypsy moth caterpillars feed on the leaves of more than 450 tree species, but prefer oak trees. Similar to forest tent caterpillars, high populations of gypsy moth caterpillars can completely strip leaves from trees. Stripping leaves over a number of years can kill trees or make them more susceptible to other pests.
An established population of gypsy moths could also significantly damage Manitoba’s urban, commercial and recreational forests. If Manitoba does not control this pest, there is the potential for gypsy moths to spread throughout the province. This means the Manitoba nursery and landscape industry would be affected, as federal restrictions could be placed on plants and plant products.
The province, in collaboration with the city, is planning to apply the biological control product Foray 48B in selected areas of St. Vital. The active ingredient in Foray 48B is Bacillus thuringiensis (subspecies kurstaki), also known as Btk, a bacterium that occurs naturally in soils worldwide. It has been used to control forest caterpillar pests since the mid-1970s.
Btk targets only moth and butterfly species in the larval stage at the time of spraying. The caterpillar larvae must feed on the leaves after Btk is sprayed in order to be exterminated. Btk is approved by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency. It is also certified for organic food production by the Organic Materials Review Institute. Manitoba successfully used Btk in 2009 to eradicate a population of European gypsy moths in the areas of La Salle and St. Germain.
The public information session will include presentations on the proposed management plan for gypsy moths in Winnipeg. The session will be held at 7 p.m., May 7 at the Norberry-Glenlee Community Centre, 26 Molgat Ave., Winnipeg.
More information on the gypsy moth is available at: www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/forestry/health/gypsy-moth.html.
PROVINCE, WINNIPEG TO HOLD INFORMATION SESSION ON GYPSY MOTH MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Gypsy moths were accidentally introduced to the United States in 1869. They spread throughout the northeast United States to Quebec and Ontario in the 1970s and into the Maritimes in 1981.
Gypsy moth caterpillars feed on the leaves of more than 450 tree species, but prefer oak trees. Similar to forest tent caterpillars, high populations of gypsy moth caterpillars can completely strip leaves from trees. Stripping leaves over a number of years can kill trees or make them more susceptible to other pests.
An established population of gypsy moths could also significantly damage Manitoba’s urban, commercial and recreational forests. If Manitoba does not control this pest, there is the potential for gypsy moths to spread throughout the province. This means the Manitoba nursery and landscape industry would be affected, as federal restrictions could be placed on plants and plant products.
The province, in collaboration with the city, is planning to apply the biological control product Foray 48B in selected areas of St. Vital. The active ingredient in Foray 48B is Bacillus thuringiensis (subspecies kurstaki), also known as Btk, a bacterium that occurs naturally in soils worldwide. It has been used to control forest caterpillar pests since the mid-1970s.
Btk targets only moth and butterfly species in the larval stage at the time of spraying. The caterpillar larvae must feed on the leaves after Btk is sprayed in order to be exterminated. Btk is approved by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency. It is also certified for organic food production by the Organic Materials Review Institute. Manitoba successfully used Btk in 2009 to eradicate a population of European gypsy moths in the areas of La Salle and St. Germain.
The public information session will include presentations on the proposed management plan for gypsy moths in Winnipeg. The session will be held at 7 p.m., May 7 at the Norberry-Glenlee Community Centre, 26 Molgat Ave., Winnipeg.
More information on the gypsy moth is available at: www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/forestry/health/gypsy-moth.html.
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The Province of Manitoba is distributing this release on behalf of the City of Winnipeg and Government of Manitoba.
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