5 things you need to know about cankerworm

By Cristina Howorun

Cankerworm are taking over the trees in Lorne Park in Mississauga. Here are five things you need to know about these destructive insects.

1. They are also called “loopers” or inch worms. Cankerworms can be found from Nova Scotia through to Alberta.

2. They have 10-year cycles and peak for two to three years. The average worm has a one year life span.

3. They like to eat leaves — a lot. Especially leaves on hard wood trees like oak, maple, cherry and apple. They feed from May through mid-June and then will go back underground, and reemerge in the fall as moths.

4. You can protect your tree by spraying with insecticide and/or wrapping a sticky band around the tree. Females don’t grow wings and need to climb the tree so they can mate. The sticky band will stop them from making it all the way up.

5. Experts say healthy trees can survive cankerworm and moths. Leaves will regrow but most trees can’t survive infestations every year — it takes its toll on the trees.

*Data credit: The City of Mississauga and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

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