Moths are out of control.

[ecduzitgood]

Has anyone noticed the amount of moths? Each spring the tree's are getting decimated by caterpillars which I have been told if they don't get a chance to keep their leaves they will loose strength and possibly die. I just went out to move the trailer and unhook it from the car and during which time I had about 20-30 enter the garage (because of the light ). The area where the outdoor spot light illuminated was swarming with them. Wouldn't it be possible for the town to spray something at this time of year (no bees exposed) to slow down the spread before they get further out of control. This is driving me nuts, when I let the dogs out at night there are always a couple that sneek in each week . I have been able to keep the amount getting in down by limiting the lights. Do bug zappers work for these moths? I am thinking of making something up that will give off light and coating it with sticky crap(?) but haven't figured out how, maybe a plexiglass box with a spray on adhesive (like contact cement) but can't figure how to do it in a cost efficient low maintenance manner. Am I they only one that has these moths in abundance?
Ed

[ProfessorM]

going to be a lot of damage next spring in my area. This is the most I have seen since they became a problem at least in my neck of the woods. Gypsy's, tent's , and now heavy winter moth. That is why you are seeing so many dead oak and maple trees along the highways as they can't take too many consecutive years without death coming. Add a dry summer to boot and it is a death sentence for the trees. I lost a real big oak this past year to them. Hopefully the wet summer we had helped out a little but with all these winter moths it can't bode well next year.

[BigFish]

They are everywhere outside right now and it is pouring rain!!?!?!?!

[JohnR]

I can't recall seeing so many - what should I do?

[FishermanTim]

That's because their activity is dictated by one thing and one thing only: mating. They have no natural predators here because they are not native to America.
They are a cold weather insect, so bats and spiders are out of the picture. They swarm at night so that birds are no problem, and the hatch in the spring at the same time the tress bushes and shrubs begin to sprout.
The only 2 options are spraying with horticultural oil in the spring, or cut down the tree/bush or shrub and plant something else.

Whoever is responsible for allowing this plague to enter the country has earned the same level of hatred as the Cambridge A-hole that allowed the Asian Red Lilly-Leaf beetle to ruin EVERYONE'S lillies in the region. I kid you not, these little red beetles have infested all of New England, and also have no natural predators in this country.

The state will harp on the recreational fisherman/boater about "invasive species" but when a business does even worse, I guess it's OK.

[Raven]

they have them at home depot for around $29 bucks

if you suspend a light out back of the house up high enough

the bats will have a field day eating them

the only problem with the zappers is the ssszzzz zap! noise
and having to clean the screens so often- like every two days...

not so hard with an air compressor tho

[eastendlu]

Call these girls they are good with moths

[JamesJet]

You all are not kidding about the moths. I just got home from work, my wife picked me up at the train station and turned the outside light on. When we got back (about 10 minutes total from when she left to when we got home) my front door and all around it was covered. I have never seen so many. Would a blast of cold kill them off? Is it because of the unusual warm weather?

[Raven]

the lake effect cold winds are coming soon with sloppy snow
predicted with in a week....
which forces all the moths back under the tree bark once again

[EarnedStripes44]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

...earned the same level of hatred as the Cambridge A-hole that allowed...

Now thats touching...

So not only was he just an a-hole, he was a cambridge a-hole. Thats special.

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

the Asian Red Lilly-Leaf beetle to ruin EVERYONE'S lillies in the region. I kid you not, these little red beetles have infested all of New England, and also have no natural predators in this country.

I have those critters all over my lillies (what little is left of them) and wondered what they were. Thanks.

[ecduzitgood]

My wheels are turning and I think if I can find an adhesive shelf liner that light can pass through I'll make up a frame with a light inside and wrap the paper (adhesive side out) around it and when they land on it they will get stuck. They even come at the led light on the front of my hat, thankfully they don't bite like mosquitoes yet they are almost as bad as gnats bombing the light. I remember last spring when I was outside having a smoke I could hear them crunching away.
And those asian lilly bettles got mine for years but they seemed to leave the tiger lilies alone after using a systemic insecticide (I can't remember which? I'll look; although it wouldn't suprise me if it's banned now).
The bayer tree and shrub (it's systemic) seemed to help my smaller trees but the bigger ones took a beating this spring so I'll treat them this coming spring. The neighbors who won't treat their trees and the woods around me are going to ensure I them every year and once again try to keep them outside each fall.

Heck I've even considered putting a box fan on high with a light behind it (outflow side) to see if that would work.

[ProfessorM]

Originally Posted by PRBuzz

I have those critters all over my lilies (what little is left of them) and wondered what they were. Thanks.

plant day lilies they don't effect those, as they are not really a Lily but a decent alternative and require no maintenance at all other than splitting every few years. Pretty much impossible to kill them, they thrive on neglect. The true lilies are effected and I find them not worth putting in anymore IMO which is a shame as I used to have many.

Trying to trap them, winter moths that is, is a noble idea but with the mass quantity of them it is a waste of your time IMO.

Winter moths

in March look for tiny orange egg clusters scattered on tree trunks and branches. You can apply a perfectly timed hort. oil spray but good luck trying to get up high in a tree. With the amount of moths I am seeing it is a waste of time and money. When the little larvae are feeding on foliage you can apply BT, but again you are not going to be able to get up in the canopy of the trees so good luck. Fruit trees can be managed because the are small but large oaks and such forget about it. If you are real adamant about controlling them you will need to call in a pro to have your trees sprayed with a BT and or Spinosad product, which can only be sprayed by a licensed pro, arborist. Sucks having your whole yard covered with chemicals. I have done it and last time it cost me $400.00 and it is not 100 percent effective. If your neighbor doesn't do it they can come into your yard via wind direction, thus the name gypsy It is very expensive to have done and then after a month or so you got Gypsy moths to contend with so it is a losing battle. Just have to hope mother nature comes to the rescue with some kind of natural control. There is a natural occurring fungus in the soil that will kill off the gypsy moth but the winter moth has no known natural control. The infestation will be bad for a few years and then it will slow to only come back heavy again several years later. It goes in cycles. I control them with Sevin that I spray on my fruit trees and blueberries. I don't have the equipment to do large trees , thus the licensed pro with the heavy duty sprayer. You can buy Sevin at Lowes and such and spray yourself but it is a toxin so be very careful and read the directions as it can effect beneficial insects. I hate using any such products on something I am going to eat but it has to be done. The problem with winter moths compared to gypsy moths is they start very early and go into the bud, which is pretty much undetectable until it is too late. Like all spraying you need to time it perfectly or it is a waste. Contact your local County Extension Service for more info as that is what they are there for. I hate the buggers.

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

The true lilies are effected and I find them not worth putting in anymore IMO which is a shame as I used to have many.

The Shultz's Houseplant&Garden Inspect spray (all natural pyrethrins from mums) kills them buggers dead, but repeated applications necessary to keep them away. After eating the bloom they strip the leaves, leaving a dead stalk.

[ProfessorM]

Originally Posted by PRBuzz

The Shultz's Houseplant&Garden Inspect spray (all natural pyrethrins from mums) kills them buggers dead, but repeated applications necessary to keep them away. After eating the bloom they strip the leaves, leaving a dead stalk.

thanks for the info. My problem is I forget to do it. At this stage of gardening I have pretty much eliminated most plants that need lots of attention as my time is too limited and most of that is taken up by fruits and veggies and even they don't get the attention they need as fishing gets in the way. Some day I will have to revisit the Lilly's.

[FishermanTim]

The basic problem with the winter moths is that they thrive in colder weather, so nothing short of sub freezing temps will have any effect.

The lily beetle infestation had been tracked back to a Cambridge florist / horticulturalist that had received a shipment of asian lillies.
I don't know exactly HOW they were released into the wild, but I do know how they got here, and that we are screwed because of it.

I used to grow asian tiger lillies from bulb, and for the first 4-5 years they did fantastic. Then the beetles came and killed them off one by one. I have one of the originals left, and I'll wait and see if it survived last years attacks. I am impressed by this lone survivor's height. It has been topping 6 feet for the past 3 years with over a half dozen VERY aromatic flowers.

The only reason this plant has lasted so long is because EVERY morning during the spring I go out and check for beetles. I kill all I find and destroy any eggs or hatched larvae.
The larvae are quite disgusting, as they cover themselves with their own feces, making them safe from predators. Really nasty and messy to kill.

[eastendlu]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

The basic problem with the winter moths is that they thrive in colder weather, so nothing short of sub freezing temps will have any effect.

The lily beetle infestation had been tracked back to a Cambridge florist / horticulturalist that had received a shipment of asian lillies.
I don't know exactly HOW they were released into the wild, but I do know how they got here, and that we are screwed because of it.

I used to grow asian tiger lillies from bulb, and for the first 4-5 years they did fantastic. Then the beetles came and killed them off one by one. I have one of the originals left, and I'll wait and see if it survived last years attacks. I am impressed by this lone survivor's height. It has been topping 6 feet for the past 3 years with over a half dozen VERY aromatic flowers.

The only reason this plant has lasted so long is because EVERY morning during the spring I go out and check for beetles. I kill all I find and destroy any eggs or hatched larvae.
The larvae are quite disgusting, as they cover themselves with their own feces, making them safe from predators. Really nasty and messy to kill.

Sorta like politicians.

[Back Beach]

If anyone has a tree or trees that are of value, I recommend contacting your local arborist and scheduling a treatment. Winter moths can do some serious damage.

[Higgie]

The best way to minimize the populations is to target the eggs and larvae in the spring/early summer months as when they hatch they strip the oaks of their leaves. While in college i worked with a professor doing research on introducing other insects into the area that either eat or attack the moths which then become ill and die off. Such things are being for other problematic insects like the japanese beetle, asiatic garden beetle and other white grub species where nematodes attack them in the grub stage and infect them.

My thought is that there must be a way to push the moths life cycle forward so that they eat the leaves around October so then we'd have less leaves to clean up. ha ha

[PRBuzz]

OK, seems like a few knowledgeable entomologists posting here so here's a new challenge (I can post pictures if necessary): what is the white, diamond headed larva about 1/2-3/4 inch long infecting and living under the bark of oak trees? Seem to be every where and killing the oaks over many years.

[WESTPORTMAFIA]

I was saying the same thing the other day it was raining and the things were EVERYWHERE

[Higgie]

I would have to see a pic but this time of year especially with how mild its been this fall ive believe its the moth of the army or eastern tent caterpillar or its gypsy moths

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by Turf Guy

I would have to see a pic but this time of year especially with how mild its been this fall ive believe its the moth of the army or eastern tent caterpillar or its gypsy moths

IMO unlikely for either you mention. Important point: they live under the bark in the active vascular layer of the tree. Attached is a pic but the camera used does not close focus very well.

[FishermanTim]

I would have them identified to make sure that they AREN'T the larvae of the Asian Longhorn Beetle. If they are, you will lose that tree and any others in you community that might also be infested.

I can't think of any other insect that burrows under the bark like that.

[FishermanTim]

For the record, if they are the larvae of the Longhorn beetle, there are only 2 methods of treatment.
One is use of a pestiside which may kill the tree.
The other is to cut and burn the tree.

Hope it doesn't turn out to be a further spread of these beetles.

[eastendlu]

Here is an asian long horned beetle larvae pic

[FishermanTim]

I don't know. The two do look alot alike, but without a proper scale of size I couldn't even begin to make any kind of comparison.
If they are the beetle larvae, I would notify the authorities ASAP.
Heck, why not contact them just to be on the safe side. They should be able to tell you what they are.

[PRBuzz]

I've noticed them in my area for years and never seen the beetle (asian long horned). I'll call Ag Ext anyway. BTW this picture is from bark from a tree already destined to be firewood.

[eastendlu]

If you google "asian long horned beetle larvae" you will see pics with rulers on them for scale.

[Higgie]

I just made an assumption without seeing a pic of the moth. Maybe its just confused winter moths. I dont know about ALB though because aren't they a wood boring beetle whose adults bore into the middle of the tree to lay the eggs and then the larvae once born eat the tree from the inside out? I know i have seen several ALB in oak tree's in Plymouth this summer. What type of tree is it?