Return of the tent caterpillar in northern Ontario
Tent caterpillar infestations are a problem in northern Ontario every few summers and it looks like they could be returning this year.
People in Timmins said tent caterpillars are already swarming their properties and experts said it’s a sign that another outbreak is on the way.
Tent caterpillar infestation in Timmins. June 5/23 (Sergio Arangio/CTV Northern Ontario)
When the cold goes away, the north’s native caterpillars come out to play and it appears countless thousands of forest tent caterpillars are making a grand return to the Timmins area this summer.
Swarms of them recently made a rowdy appearance at a local elementary school, which had to keep students indoors for recess while pest control dealt with the problem.
The caterpillars have been carpeting nearby roadways and residences and even feasting on one local woman’s apple tree before she could "shoo" them off.
"Normally, you can see at the bottom of my tree," Tammy Hachey said.
"I have some foil there with Vaseline on it. So, that would … prevent the caterpillars from climbing the tree, but I didn’t catch it early enough this time. So, hopefully the tree blooms again."
Sault Ste. Marie entomologist David Dutkiewicz, of the Invasive Species Centre, said tin foil is the perfect way to protect trees from climbing caterpillars and as long as they’re native trees, their leaves will grow back, if the insects manage to sneak a bite.
Swarm of tent caterpillars crawl up door in Timmins. June 5/23 (Sergio Arangio/CTV Northern Ontario)
Dutkiewicz said forest tent caterpillars tend to converge in large numbers about every decade and that the region may be due.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"Judging by the reports we’re hearing, we are looking at, we’re moving into a forest tent caterpillar outbreak season, whether it’s this year or the next year," he said.
Dutkiewicz said native trees are evolved to be regularly feasted on by these insects, but that binge-eating can eventually become unhealthy for the forest.
"Then it really depletes the sugars in the trees and it can cause other types of diseases," he said.
And forest tree caterpillars have a huge appetite.
They can just keep eating, and leave rows of trees picked clean of their leaves.
Poplar trees tend to be their favourite snack and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said their leaves tend to grow back stronger later in the summer.
Hachey said she’ll be prepared "and be ready with the foil and Vaseline.”
The MNRF is expected to release an annual forest health report in the coming weeks, but said forest tent caterpillars typically aren’t a concern.
Spruce budworms are more dangerous right now, MNRF said, since they munch on coniferous trees and can contribute to forest fires.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.