Fixing the Problem
![Conservation Hamilton](/uploads/2/7/8/1/27817295/2032166.gif?168)
Governments & conservation-related organizations have made a slight difference when it comes to fixing the Gypsy Moth issue, but there are still many ways to improve this. Certain fungi, pathogens, bacteria, and species have been discovered to kill these moths, and we need to use these to our advantage. The ones listed below have been studied for longer than other methods, and have proven to be much more effective in killing Gypsy Moths in the areas it was used in.
Action that Needs to be Taken
Entomophaga maimaiga
Entomophaga maimaiga is a Japanese fungus that has proven very effective in combatting Gypsy Moths. It does not harm the trees that we are trying to protect, and it would be ideal to release into affected areas. Since fungus is a decomposer, it would also aid in cleaning up dead trees & detritus in the forests that have been damaged by Gypsy Moths.
Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus
This virus is also a very effective method to control the moth population. It is specific to the species, and will not cause any harm whatsoever to trees or other animal species in the forests. If it were to be released into areas with high Gypsy Moth populations, it would certainly reduce the spread and kill off many of the ones in the area.
Predators
Many animals prey on the Gypsy Moth, including commonly seen ones such as the Blue Jay, Black-Capped Chickadee, and Robin. If we attracted them to problem areas (using things like birdseed, ideal nesting grounds, etc.), they would undoubtedly kill off quite a few moths and prevent them from reaching other parts of the country.
Public Awareness
Simply educating the public using signs and banners can make a huge difference. Once people know what the egg clusters and moths look like, they'll be a lot more inclined to remove them and even educate relatives & neighbours. There are many easy ways to remove the eggs from trees and kill moths in the area, and it would make a big impact if citizens were helping combat this species.
As you can see, biological methods would work ideally to fix the Gypsy Moth issue. There are other methods that would help such as educating the public, however the biological ones have been studied longer and have been proven to have a greater success rate.
Entomophaga maimaiga
Entomophaga maimaiga is a Japanese fungus that has proven very effective in combatting Gypsy Moths. It does not harm the trees that we are trying to protect, and it would be ideal to release into affected areas. Since fungus is a decomposer, it would also aid in cleaning up dead trees & detritus in the forests that have been damaged by Gypsy Moths.
Lymantria dispar multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus
This virus is also a very effective method to control the moth population. It is specific to the species, and will not cause any harm whatsoever to trees or other animal species in the forests. If it were to be released into areas with high Gypsy Moth populations, it would certainly reduce the spread and kill off many of the ones in the area.
Predators
Many animals prey on the Gypsy Moth, including commonly seen ones such as the Blue Jay, Black-Capped Chickadee, and Robin. If we attracted them to problem areas (using things like birdseed, ideal nesting grounds, etc.), they would undoubtedly kill off quite a few moths and prevent them from reaching other parts of the country.
Public Awareness
Simply educating the public using signs and banners can make a huge difference. Once people know what the egg clusters and moths look like, they'll be a lot more inclined to remove them and even educate relatives & neighbours. There are many easy ways to remove the eggs from trees and kill moths in the area, and it would make a big impact if citizens were helping combat this species.
As you can see, biological methods would work ideally to fix the Gypsy Moth issue. There are other methods that would help such as educating the public, however the biological ones have been studied longer and have been proven to have a greater success rate.
Ridding not only Ontario, but North America as a whole of the Gypsy Moth will benefit the environment in many ways. Overtime, the trees that were killed and habitats that were lost because of the Gypsy Moth will re-grow, allowing for secondary succession to occur. This benefits the environment because of potential new species that will move to the area and increase biodiversity (and therefore sustainability), and the fact that animal and plant species that were affected by the moth will finally get the chance to stabilize their populations and have their habitats heal. Not only will the forests be healthier, but they will certainly look much nicer, as well and make humans work harder to protect them from other dangers.