Thursday, March 28, 2024

Brampton Scientists Controlling Spongy Moth Invasion with Bacteria and Pheromones 

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Bernadine Jazmynhttps://strictlycanadian.ca/
Bernadine is a Brampton local who likes to visit new attractions and small businesses regularly, especially coffee shops and restaurants. She is a 10-year resident of the city, which she has grown to love.

The city of Brampton’s most brilliant minds are currently unfolding a plan to control the invasive Spongy Moth population and is asking people to get involved. The call came during Parks Cleanup Days and is coming at a time where the urgency seems to be growing more and more. 

It’s been more than a decade since Spongy Moths showed up in Brampton. According to the city, the number has risen the most in the past three years. Most of the moth species’ reproduction comes around April to mid-May as their larvae feed on the crown foliage of trees. What that means is the moth becomes a defoliating pest that could trigger a string of environmental disruptions. 

As a way of controlling Spongy Moth outbursts and protecting vulnerable trees in the area, the city has conducted a ground base spraying program that uses naturally occurring bacteria found in soil. This type of bacteria is harmful only to the Spongy Moth and will not disrupt other flora and fauna in the area. 

By June, the City will also conduct ground base spraying of streets and parks. Trees will be inspected by a specialist before spraying starts. In July, the city will also install two hundred pheromone traps in Brampton woodlots. These traps will be made of cardboard and shaped like small milk cartons to catch Spongy Moths in large volumes. Each trap will contain a paper strip coated with Spongy Moth pheromone to attract them into the container. 

On top of city efforts to help control moth population outbursts and protect the area’s trees, the government has also called on the people of Brampton to get involved. The city will be providing Spongy Moth kits that they can use to help curb moth invasions in their vicinities. 

The Spongy Moth is a type of insect mostly found in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime provinces. The species of moth is not endemic to the area and was accidentally introduced back in 1869 after a French naturalist carried them from Europe to create a local silk industry. Some of the insects escaped and grew across North Eastern United States and Eastern Canada.

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