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Millions of moths invade New Brunswick, weather to blame


Leeanna McLean
Digital Reporter

Wednesday, July 27, 2016, 11:27 AM - Millions of tiny moths have blanketed the Campbellton-Dalhousie area of northern New Brunswick, and experts say warm weather conditions are to blame.

The problem is so bad, plumes of the insects are showing up on Environment Canada's weather radar. The insects have been spotted as far south as Saint John and Shediac.

"You can actually see the radar imagery of these big plumes on non-precipitation nights, big plumes of something moving down from the north," Rob Johns, insect ecologist with National Resources Canada (NRCan) told CBC.

Scientists say the infestation is most likely linked to the spruce budworm. It is one of the most damaging native insects affecting spruces and true fir in Canada, according to NRCan.


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Tens of millions of hectares of trees can be severely defoliated by spruce budworms during an outbreak, which can last several years. Cumulative defoliation can cause significant growth loss in mature softwood forests, resulting in a massive decline in essential timber and non-timber resources.

Mathieu LeClair - Little bit of a moth problem at the... | Facebook

The influx of moths is likely due to weather conditions the area is currently experiencing, explains Johns. It appears the mass migration is coming from the Baie Comeau region of Quebec, where a spruce budworm outbreak is present. 

"These naturally warm weather conditions tend to cause updrafts, which allow the moths to be pulled up into the atmosphere and they can be carried hundreds of kilometres away," Johns told CBC.

The moths measure up to two inches long and have been covering everything from parking lots to people.

"Our spruce trees are full of them and they're still flying around and they stick to you. If you go outside they're going to stick to you -- your hair, your clothes... it's like they were attacking you," Claudette Winchester, receptionist and administrator for Campbellton's Plaza Chevrolet told CBC.

While Winchester says there was an infestation last summer, this year's visit is far beyond what residents have experienced in the past.

The current outbreak in New Brunswick covers about six million hectares of land, particularly in the northeast, according to Johns. Fortunately, around 70 to 80 per cent of the moths can be male, meaning they cannot lay eggs.

Mathieu LeClair - Little bit of a moth problem at the... | Facebook

Citizen scientists are using pheromone traps to capture the moths.

Johns is urging the public to scan their fir and spruce trees for any signs of redness or defoliation. Residents can help by collecting any moths they find. You can bag, date and freeze the insects and arrange for pickup. For more information, visit budwormtracker.ca.

SOURCE: CBC | Natural Resources Canada

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