The Van Buren Conservation District is advising everyone how to watch out for an invasive moth that can damage trees. Southwest by Southwest Corner CISMA Coordinator Alex Florian tells WSJM News the spongy moth was first brought to this country in the 1800s and got out of control. They are the most notable when they’re caterpillars.
“What you’re probably seeing, especially this time of year, is the caterpillars,” Florian said. “They’re sort of a hairy caterpillar with two rows of spots going down their back. Half of the spots, the back half will be red, and the front half will be a blue color.”
Florian says the spongy moths are cyclical in that they’ll come on strong one year and then be less of a problem the next year. He says the best time to get rid of the invasive is when it’s in egg form, when you can scrape the egg masses into a bucket of soapy water to kill them. You can learn more about the bugs at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website.
