With the return of caterpillars, the annual tree pest caterpillar control program is coming back next week.
Weather permitting, the City of Winnipeg will start spraying for tree pest caterpillars on Tuesday, May 20, targeting insect management areas:
- IMA 25 (Crescent Park, Point Road, Wildwood)
- IMA 32 (Rockwood)
Spraying is expected to happen each weekday for the next four weeks, weather permitting.
Boulevards, City parks, and cemeteries are treated as that is where tree pest caterpillars are plentiful and tend to defoliate trees. Locations will be decided based on daily inspection by ground surveillance crews.
The City uses Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki (Btk), a biological, organic product from high-pressure sprayers, directly onto the foliage of the trees. After the tree pest caterpillars ingest the Btk, they stop feeding and die three days later.
Btk has been approved for use in Canada by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency and will be used in accordance with federally approved label directions by licensed pesticide applicators.