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Hello RI Arborists! Please see the message below from Alana Russell of the RIDEM-DFE Forest Health Program: Winter Moth Update Winter moth feeding has started. Caterpillars were hatching the week of April 15th, meaning they are now visible
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello RI Arborists!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please see the message below from Alana Russell of the RIDEM-DFE Forest Health Program:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk165280580"></a><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Winter Moth Update
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Winter moth feeding has started. Caterpillars were hatching the week of April 15<sup>th</sup>, meaning they are now visible to the naked eye. Young caterpillars feed within the leaf and flower buds and become
visible as the buds expand. The preferred hosts are oaks and maples, but they will feed on other deciduous species, such as birches, beeches, apple, and blueberry.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">In 2023, elevated winter moth activity was observed in several communities. This trend is expected to continue in 2024. The resurgence is occurring predominantly in areas of western Kent and Providence County,
where there had been no outbreaks previously. Unlike coastal RI where releases of the fly parasite
<i>Cyzenis albicans</i> helped reduce outbreaks, there have been no such releases in the interior locations. A program to collect
<i>C. albicans</i> and release in these new outbreak areas is underway, with DFE, URI and UMass. It is expected to take several years to establish
<i>C. albicans</i> in these new areas and see an impact on winter moth populations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">In the meantime, low to moderate feeding damage should recover without intervention, but trees with heavy bud feeding by small caterpillars may be considered for insecticide treatments. Treatments should be
done now: after the trees have begun to leaf out, but before excessive feeding damage has occurred. Insecticides containing
<i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> (Btk) are also effective against winter moth at this stage. Please follow labels.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="205" height="204" style="width:2.1354in;height:2.125in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DA9AED.D070A1E0" alt="A close up of a caterpillar on a leaf
Description automatically generated with medium confidence"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><img width="190" height="205" style="width:1.9791in;height:2.1354in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.jpg@01DA9AED.D070A1E0" alt="A bug on a leaf
Description automatically generated with medium confidence"></span><img width="206" height="204" style="width:2.1458in;height:2.125in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01DA9AED.D070A1E0" alt="A picture containing plant, green, tree, garden
Description automatically generated"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Young caterpillar and frass in an apple bud (left); later stage caterpillar (center); late-stage defoliation (right).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">DEM Division of Forest Environment, Forest Health Program<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk163219894"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Alana Russell
<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk163219894"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><a href="mailto:Alana.russell@dem.ri.gov">Alana.russell@dem.ri.gov</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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