QTNca is looking for volunteers to participate in the Community Associations for Environmental Sustainability (CAFES) Neighbourhood Canopy Regeneration Project. The purpose of this project is to contribute to the regeneration of the urban canopy by building capacity of community associations, and engaging with residents, landowners and existing city tree programs. It will be implemented in partnership with Ecology Ottawa.
We are looking for volunteers that have some time to contribute to this project in the late summer and fall of 2021. Volunteers will assist with reviewing the QTN canopy, identifying canopy gaps, ground-truthing survey to validate plantable areas and a week of resident engagement.
The LDD moths (Gypsy moths*) in QTN have started laying eggs. You can help to reduce the number of caterpillars next year by removing the egg masses before next spring. Removing egg masses can potentially prevent the hatching of up to 1000 caterpillars per egg mass, and therefore lower the overall negative impact to trees on your property caused by defoliation.
When is the best time to remove egg masses? You need to remove the eggs before they hatch in April 2022. If you can, wait until the fall 2021 to remove the egg masses. The reason for the wait is that beginning now and into August and September, tiny, non-stinging wasp might parasitize the egg masses. Waiting to remove or destroy egg masses until after leaf fall/the first hard frost can allow this beneficial wasp an opportunity to build up its numbers.
There are also reports of white, rice-sized cocoons on tree bark and these may be the cocoons of the parasitic wasp. Please do not destroy these little white cocoons. They will do no harm to your tree and might be hosting the LDD moths predator wasps.
Here are some photos of the egg masses, parasitoid wasps, and the rice-sized cocoons:
Female with egg masses
New, fresh egg mass(left) from which caterpillars will hatch next spring and an old egg mass from last year that is already empty (right)
Parasitoid wasps on an egg mass
Rice-sized cocoon potentially hosting the parasitoid wasps (gypsy moth predator)
There are also various tutorials on how to remove egg masses are available online including these from the City of Toronto:
Note that some of the egg mass can be located high up on trees and structures. Be careful when removing egg masses and don’t put yourself in a precarious position. Watch for tripping, falling, and power line hazards. Some private tree care companies can be hired to provide this service at heights.
*The Entomological Society of America (ESA) has withdrawn this common name but no new name has been adopted. For the interim, we will adopt the scientific name LDD (for Lymantria dispar dispar) and phase out the use of the old name in our communications.
The City of Ottawa forestry operations has informed our Natural Environment committee that they will be in the area over the next few days (starting July 14) to remove deadwood in Elmhurst park to address the volume of wood on site.
Update (2021-07-15) The crew will also proceed with the removal of some trees identified by a red mark. Ash trees make the majority of the removal. The City of Ottawa has identified a few good candidates to leave as snags to support the ecological forest functions. Other trees will be removed manually (i.e., not using large scale equipment) to minimize damage to the forest floor. The tree removal is likely to start next week.
