Pine Processionary Moth Treatments

[brisbane trees]

Bacillus thuringiensis is not a chemical; it's a biological control agent. I'm using it on poincianas in Brisbane. You might like to have a look at my write-up at that link. It's a bit casual, but it's for property owners here.

 

You'll notice I use tree bands with horticultural glue. Is that what you mean by 'collar' traps?

 

I'm surprised you are injecting the Bt. As far as I knew, Bt isn't systemic and needs to be sprayed on the foliage not long before it's consumed. The problem (so I thought) with using Bt systemically is that it is then concentrated in the sap, so caterpillars don't injest enough for infection to occur. I'm ready to be corrected, though.

 

Edit: ...because caterpillars eat foliage rather than being sap-suckers, I mean.

[Mick Dempsey]

I used to go up and get the nests, but now I just tell them to take the trees out.

There's always more up there than you think. Get them on cedars here as well.

Tbh I've taken many down, started wearing masks and stuff but abandoned that after a while, I've never had a bad reaction. I just chip the nests.

[One Buck]

We have lots of these things in the Poitou Charentes. The local French are terrified and insist that the nests are burnt thee times to make sure the caterpillars are dead. They are like cockroaches in the fact they are so difficult to destroy, they literally march out of the flames and have to be kicked back in. We get a good pile of embers going then play a leaf blower on them to keep the heat there. This year with the winter being very mild there were reports of the caterpillars leaving the nests in January, not the usual February or March. The method that seems to seems to help is to place sticky bands on the tree trunks to capture them on their descent to the ground, then the birds will pick them off. If they get onto the ground they then burrow in and the cycle begins again. Even though the nests are empty there are still the fibres off the caterpillar bodies which will cause irritation if you come into contact. Ty Corrigan is right in that he says to fell and replant, it seems to be the only tried and trusted method. I always look in customers gardens the first time I go there to see if there are any pine with the nests in them as the ex pat Brits are generally unaware what these nests are and the inherent danger to pets and children. I always advise them to contact a tree surgeon to get rid asp.

 

I know that a separate population (perhaps sub species) was discovered last year on the west coast of Portugal, whose life cycle occurs some months earlier than the main population. - The concern being that if, say climate change, allows the two populations to meet up (which they haven't done yet), then they might form a 'super species' with an extended life cycle, so increasing their potential range. I can find the details of the lady at the University of Lisbon who is studying this if you wish.

[FatherJack]

Some interesting tips. Got a conifer at my place in the Vendee that generally gets a nest every year. It looks like I have been reckless (and lucky) in removing the nests in the past.

I'd be sorry to see the tree go..................