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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, M ar ch 1 5, 2 01 8 | S fs NEWS Aerial spray program identifies 26 woodlands sites • Con tinued fro m page 1 preferred host species of tree, says Barb Rabicki, the City of Burlington's man­ ager of urban forestry. Treatment of the insect is aimed at managing lar­ vae populations through application of Btk (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kursta- ki), a bacterium found nat­ urally in soils. Btk can be applied either through ae­ rial spray or by truck- mounted spray applica­ tions. "Btk works only against the larvae of the target spe­ cies of insect; it does not af­ fect plants, animals or peo­ ple. Btk is one of the few treatments acceptable to organic growers, as it is a naturally occurring bio­ logical organism," Rabicki said. Jalil Hashemi?, manag­ er of forestry for the Town of Oakville, said they par­ ticipated in a collaborative spray program with neigh­ bouring municipalities in 2008. "Since that outbreak, populations and overall risk to the town's urban forest have been low. In subsequent years, between 2013 and 2017 the town per­ formed localized protec­ tive tree injection treat­ ments in select hotspot lo­ cations. "The injection was for Gypsy moth control. It is different from an aerial spray as the trees are in­ jected by hand. The bio-in- secticide used for injec­ tions is the same used for control of Emerald Ash Borer," a beetle that feeds on ash trees. "Injections are used in localized cases, not effective for large areas such as woodlands," said Hashemi. He said that based on Gypsy moth population levels in 2017, Oakville now faces a severe Gypsy moth and cankerworm infesta­ tion in approximately 110 hectares of the town's woodlands. There are 26 woodlands sites identified throughout Oakville in the 2018 aerial spray program. Maps will be posted on the town's website. Not all sites will be aerial sprayed, said Hashe­ mi. Several sites may be ground sprayed or alterna­ tive controls implemented. The Town of Oakville says that during the larval stage one Gypsy moth cat­ erpillar can eat an average of one square metre of leaves. Left untreated, the Gypsy moth has the poten­ tial to impact 409,000 trees in Oakville. That is equal to about 23 per cent of the town's tree canopy. "Based on research and results of previous aerial spray programs, aerial spraying is the most effec­ tive way to deal with Gypsy moth in heavily infested areas such as woodlands," Hashemi said. "Aerial spraying is weather dependent. The most effective time to apply Btk is in mid-May when the Gypsy moth caterpillars have recently emerged. The most up-to-date infor­ mation on spray times and dates will be posted on the town's website." Aerial spraying is done by a low-flying helicopter and typically done early in the morning. Two treat­ ments will be completed with a few days in-be­ tween, said Hashemi. Oakville town council has approved a capital bud­ get of $205,000 for the Gyp­ sy Moth and Cankerworm Control Program. Town staff is in discus­ sions with other munici­ palities to develop a co-op­ erative program and share expenses to reduce costs where possible, said Hash­ emi. Hamilton, Mississauga and Toronto are preparing their own spraying pro­ grams for the Gypsy moth. The Gypsy moth is an invasive pest that was in­ troduced accidentally to the United States, from Eu­ rope, in 1869. It has expan­ ded its range over much of the eastern United States and Canada. It was first detected in Ontario in 1969 and quickly spread across southern Ontario. It is now well es­ tablished throughout southern Ontario and as far north as Sault Ste. Ma­ rie. Beat cash emergencies with a Cash Advance. Available in-store, online, and wherever you're reading this ad. For details, visit us at: 2460 Neyagawa Blvd 905-257-1917 198 Speers Rd 905-338-6000 W e can help . 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