Years ago, when we lived in the city and the kids were
little, I worked the 3-11 shift two nights a week as a secretary in pediatrics.
This meant that after change of shift and a drive from the hospital to our house, I’d be lucky to get home before midnight. I enjoyed the job.
This meant that after change of shift and a drive from the hospital to our house, I’d be lucky to get home before midnight. I enjoyed the job.
One drawback
was getting in the house on an early summer day. Like the other 1920’s era
houses on our street, we had massive oak trees in our small front yard and a
peaked roof over the front door.
Once out of
the car, I had a short walk under these trees, up the front steps and into the
house. Except at that time of year it was an obstacle course in the dark of
sticky threads and creepies hanging from tree branches and our front porch
roof. Gypsy caterpillars had arrived.
 |
| It looks innocent, doesn't it? |
We
did what we could – wrapping the trunks of all our trees with masking tape and
smearing Vasoline over that to prevent them from climbing. For years afterwards
our trees wore circular scars around their middles.
Apparently
they were brought to the U.S.
in 1869 by the idiot Etienne Leopold Trouvelot, who had big plans to interbreed
them with silk worms. And of course, like any grade B disaster movie,
they escaped into the wild. They’ve been busy ever since, spreading from the
east coast and outward, defoliating a million or more forested acres annually.
If you’ve
ever experienced this you don’t soon forget. Our last spring at the house
before we moved here to Condoland was revolting. The driveway and sidewalk and
even the grass were so slick with caterpillar bodies and caterpillar poop that
when it rained it was more dangerous than glare ice. You could also hear them
chewing, chewing, chewing up the leaves on our beautiful old oak tree.
Today I
looked outside at a glorious sight. Men with big hoses on the front line of
defense – spraying our woods. I love Condoland.
They were a plague around here last year. I have seen som this year, but I don't know how bad they'll get.
ReplyDeletePretty evident here, too, last spring in spite of the spraying. Here's hoping for a better year.
DeleteI just hope they're not using Roundup. :-(
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Although a job where you spray any kind of pesticide is not ideal.
DeleteIf only people were a LOT more careful about what they import (and release).
ReplyDeleteI have never seen that many caterpillars and can only imagine the noise, the mess, the destruction.
Here in Oz, cane toads and rabbits have destroyed locations, livelihoods...
We watch for the webs and stomp on them...yeah for men with hoses:)
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame they can't spray the whole of the US wherever the caterpillars are. Downunder, we're almost due for the yearly onslaught of the wooly-bear caterpillars who can decimate a garden in less than a week.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to guess that they are the same as what we call "tent caterpillars" ? Although it sounds a lot worse where you are. That's the thing of nightmares! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteNot sure either. Since they're munching their way slowly across the country, you may have the chance to find out first hand! ;0)
DeleteI think the love bug problem in Florida was someones bright idea. Haven't enjoyed the gypsy invasion and hope I never have to.
ReplyDeleteHave experienced love bugs, too. Equally obnoxious.
Deleteyes, tent caterpillars. we get them here but not in such quantities that they defoliate a whole tree.
ReplyDeleteI certainly have no affection for those nasty caterpillars, but I'm not sure I'd be crazy about all that spray, either. What does it do to other insects? Birds?
ReplyDelete