Entomologist Charlene Donahue of the Maine Forest Service says on top of the public health concerns, state officials were braced for more than 10 thousand acres of trees to be defoliated by the CATERPILLARS this year.. “And then we got 11 days of rain at the end of May.” Said Donahue, “This unseasonably wet and cold spell sent the caterpillars back to their webs where a cold-weather infection took hold. Find, hide, share. Coastal provides a compounded topical browntail moth medication which has been shown to significantly reduce discomfort from the rash. Brown Tail Moth Caterpillar Brown Tail Moth Caterpillar CONTROL The Brown Tail Moth is not listed as a public health hazard by the Department of Health. Typical treatments involve introducing an insecticide into the tree base which works its way up into the leaves, or spraying the leaves directly. Frankly speaking, there is nothing you can do to make the rash go away. Brown Tail Moths Brown Tail moths as adults are white with brown hairs on the end of their abdomens. The compound is available, by prescription only, in both lotion or spray form. In mid-coast Maine, the moth brought severe defoliation to oak, apple, and cherry hardwoods, and a wide range of other host trees. We learn best from videos, and we're thinking you probably do, too. He says after about 5 years of inactivity in this area, the moths are back. Privacy Policy For more information, read the story below or see it on The Maine Public Broadcasting Network. “You could see these yellow halos of spores coming out of their bodies, and we kept on checking day after day, and every day there would be fewer live caterpillars until we just weren't finding any at all in that area.”. Small white moths in the bedroom. Browntail moths may have succumbed to a fungus in the Brunswick area, but drive a few minutes down the coast, towards Portland, and it's a different story. Applied this way, the acephate does not pose a health risk to residents. The nests he points to are only between 3 and 5 inches in length.. Each Purchase Includes: One 11/64" Drill Bit and Installation Cap For Effective Control of: Adelgids, Aphids, Brown tail moth, Elm leaf beetle, Lace bug, Lygus bug, Mites, Oak worm, Scale, White pine weevil, … Feb. 26 to March 2 was National Invasive Species Awareness Week, entomologists from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry remind people that now is the time to remove browntail caterpillars from trees that are accessible. It will also help you to identify the Lackey Moth - a less harmful caterpillar with characteristics easily confused with the Brown Tail Moth.As you can see from the photograph, the Insecticides are placed beneath the bark of the tree. The brown-tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea) is a moth of the family Erebidae.It is native to Europe, neighboring countries in Asia, and the north coast of Africa. “If we get out here I can show you some of the damage that it does.” Bosworth points to a tree, half of whose branches have no leaves on them. He's district manager with Davey Tree Experts in Portland - one of the companies recommended by the state for dealing with Browntail infestation.. Even so, do not panic. Therefore, local authorities are not obliged, or funded, to control infesta- tions, even on pnvate trees. Four life stages; egg, larval, pupal, and adult. Please have a look at our Brown-Tail Moth leaflet (PDF 1112KB) which gives further information. Vivid II (Abamectin) is a new biorational insecticidal compound for controlling adelgids, aphids, Brown Tail Moth, Elm Leaf Beetle, Lace Bug, Lygus Bug, Mites, Oak Worm, scale, White Pine Weevil, Engraver Beetle, Eucalyptus Borer, & Flathead Borer. 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