![]() Spongy moths are easiest to identify in caterpillar stage, Shields said. ![]() More: 4 invasive species the Ohio Department of Agriculture is worried about How to identify, report spongy moths in caterpillar, moth stages "So you can have what is essentially bug poop raining down on you, and it makes being outdoors a pretty disgusting thing to take on.” “As all these caterpillars are eating and eating these trees overhead, obviously they’re producing waste, too," Shields said. Also, since leaves provide shade, their absence can throw off water temperatures.Īdditionally, spongy moths can have an unpleasant consequence for people. Tree deaths have ripple effects for other forms of wildlife, like squirrels, deer and birds. They only have so much energy stored to reproduce those leaves.” "But if that were to happen twice over the course of two years, that could potentially kill a tree. “Generally, a tree can withstand one defoliation in a year," said Brian Heath, district manager for Davey Tree's east Columbus branch. "Those areas that we focused our treatments on this year are areas where tracking has shown that the population is growing quickly," Shields said.įor one, spongy moths' leaf attacks can be lethal. ![]() The ODA tracks spongy moth populations throughout the state. The treatments were implemented in the following municipalities: "It's a non-lethal treatment, but it takes advantage of their own biology and uses it against them," Shields said. SPLAT GM-O does not kill spongy moths, but it does disrupt their mating cycles. The aircrafts carried a substance called SPLAT GM-O, which was dropped into the counties. On June 14 and 15, the ODA sent yellow aircraft out above treetops in eight counties. To combat the invasive species' destruction, Ohio has resorted to aerial attack. "They eat and eat leaves, and they can completely strip trees bare when their populations are high." "The caterpillars are kind of the definition of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' that book we read when we were kids," said Jonathan Shields, who manages the Ohio Department of Agriculture's spongy moth program. They can defoliate more than 300 kinds of trees and shrubs. ![]()
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