Gypsy Moths (definitely not valk related)

[Hook#3287]

Little bas$#$ds.

Last year they decimated most trees in our area, made it look like December in July.  They go after oak's first.

This years crop is looking just as bad.

I wrapped about 20 of my trees with tin foil and a band of grease.  Ain't gonna stop em, just slow em down some.

This is just one.  They're about 1/4 of full grown and then they go ballistic, chew up all the leaves, then turn into moths, mate, lay eggs in cocoons and wait for spring to do it all over again.

Last year, if you walked outside at night, it sounded like it was raining with all the caterpillar crap falling from the trees.

[fudgie]

Yup we get them up here. Usually they wont eat a whole tree but def a lot of the branches. When I find a nest I'll cut it off if possible and take it to the burn pile. Last month I took my torch to the nest. Havent seen a lot this yr yet. They use to do a aerial spray but folks complained.   

[oldsmokey]

Don't you remember riding in the early 80s. You most definitely wanted a full face helmet and a windshield. They have really swarmed to my maples again,  I band it with Tanglefoot then every evening or every other I juice them with Seven.  Been working very well so far. Need the warm weather for them to drop down the re-climb at night.

[RP#62]

Man, I thought this was going to be about airplanes.

-RP

[Firefighter]

Me too 

[Hook#3287]

Man, I thought this was going to be about airplanes.

-RP

Ok, I don't understand the connection, but let's change it.

Gypsy Moths = airplanes how?

[John Schmidt]

Gypsy moths = planes? How?   Here's how.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
https://www.google.com/search?q=pictures+gypsy+moth+plane&tbm=isch&imgil=9cH4vS3TNXIU3M%253A%253B1rPemlyrGbRMNM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.pinterest.com%25252Fpin%25252F139541288429113646%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=9cH4vS3TNXIU3M%253A%252C1rPemlyrGbRMNM%252C_&usg=__ORH0yBWcAjd54sGsmFEvP2Pbomw%3D&biw=1230&bih=579&ved=0ahUKEwjvxNPe9JjUAhXJZiYKHSkSA2cQyjcILQ&ei=KBMuWe-QH8nNmQGppIy4Bg#imgrc=9cH4vS3TNXIU3M:

[The emperor has no clothes]

Man, I thought this was going to be about airplanes.

-RP

Ok, I don't understand the connection, but let's change it.

Gypsy Moths = airplanes how?

There was a little biplane called the Gypsy Moth. There were a few in Ak. growing up. I doubt there are many around nowadays.
 On a different note, THOSE FRIGGIN BUGS ARE INVADING ! Damn, I've never seen anything like that. It doesn't kill the trees ?

[Hook#3287]

Aww, now I get it.  I've heard of De Havilland, but never heard the Gypsy Moth name.  Cool plane, bet it was a blast to fly.

It doesn't kill the trees ?

We've had them before, like oldsmokey stated, back in the 80's.  But they were killed off by a wet and cold spring.

I've been told, most trees can handle 2-3 years in a row of them before it will kill them.   A lot of the trees re-grew leaves last year, but they were smaller.

I should have greased my trees earlier than I did, but was lackadaisical. 

When the little bugger's hatch from the cocoon, they go to the ground and climb back up.  I waited about 1-2 weeks after they hatched, so a lot got in the leaves.

They come down at night and have to climb back up.  Not all of them at once, but I think they all do at least once.

[Hooter]

We had em for up to 5 years. Then they disappeared.  Haven't seen any around here for years.

Now for airplane relativity: they sprayed for gypsy moths using crop dusters.  If you wanted your property sprayed you put a bed sheet stretched out in your yard. Pilot would then spray that area. Company that used to spray here was called Hoyer.

[old2soon]

When I lived in East Texas we had army worms. Looked similar to your picture but they created web balls which they lived in. Would kill the tree limb it was on. Git a fire going cut off the limb with the web ball and burn it. NEVER could git ALL the little pesky things.  RIDE SAFE.

[Bigwolf]

Had Gypsy Moths in West Virginia in late '90s.  I paid into the pot with several other land owners to have our land sprayed.  Was sad to see the trees in mid summer with only about 1/3 of their normal foliage.  After about 3 years of that, I had the land timbered because if I had waited, the big oaks might have deteriorated beyond good timber value.  Gypsy Moths worked on my maple and cherry trees too.

Good luck in your fight with them pests.