GOSHEN — A group of oak trees along Hackett Road stand bare near Maplecrest Country Club, due to an outbreak of gypsy moth caterpillars. These trees caught the attention of Goshen's city forester Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley about two weeks ago.
The caterpillars can cause significant devastation and shouldn’t be taken lightly, Sawatsky-Kingsley cautioned.
“The tree is using resources that should be used for next year,” Sawatsky-Kingsley said Friday, while standing beneath one of the infested white oak trees. “If this were to continue year after year, it would become a problem.”
Gypsy moth caterpillars feed off the leaves of oaks, maples and other deciduous trees, which can survive a few cycles of defoliation due to food reserves. When these reserves are drained, the trees can no longer withstand losing leaves in the summer, he explained. It is nearly impossible to eradicate the caterpillars completely, so Sawatsky-Kingsley wants to document as many cases of infestation as possible in order to know what can be prevented next year.
“We need to be proactive,” he said. By knowing where the caterpillars are this year, the community can take precautions to keep them from spreading.
A crew from Purdue Extension, along with officials from the Department of Natural Resources, toured Elkhart County Wednesday examining confirmed infestation sites. Elizabeth Barnes, exotic forest pest specialist with Purdue Extension noticed a cause for concern across the county, and the same can be said for St. Joseph and LaGrange counties.
“This year’s dry spring didn’t produce enough pathogens to keep the gypsy moth population from booming,” Barnes said. “It’s worrying, but we’re not panicking yet.”
Sawatsky-Kingsley encourages local residents to report any sightings to the DNR or the Purdue Extension. There is also an app, Great Lakes Early Detection Network (GLEDN) that can be used to report the invasive caterpillar.
Goshen residents who find caterpillars on their property are asked to call 574-537-3850 or email aaronkingsley@goshencity.com
The caterpillars are harmless to humans, though there is the potential for allergic reactions, Barnes said.
Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done to protect trees at this point in the season. Disease and fungus can kill the caterpillars, however. In the coming days, caterpillars will be done feeding and will begin to form their cocoons. Until then, Sawatsky-Kingsley advises anyone with an infested tree on their property to not stand beneath it.
“When I was out here earlier, you could hear the frass (caterpillar droppings) coming down and hitting the leaves on the ground,” he said.
Sawatsky-Kingsley estimates the moths will emerge beginning the first week of July. The male moths will take flight, looking for flightless females to mate with. He said measures can be taken to capture the males in traps, or wait until the females lay their eggs. By using soapy water or vegetable oil sprays, it is possible to destroy the egg masses before they hatch next year.
It is unlikely any citywide spraying will occur this year to combat the moths, officials said.
“It’s ultimately on homeowners to take matters into their own hands,” Barnes said. “Get organized with your neighbors to keep them from spreading.”