Tree growers worried about possible budworm outbreak in N.B.

Watch Above: Christmas tree growers in New Brunswick are on the lookout for the Spruce Budworm, which researchers say is starting to spread from Quebec. Shelley Steeves reports.

PERRY SETTLEMENT, N.B. – Christmas tree growers in the province are keeping an eye out for a worm that could wipe them out of business.

“It could maybe ruin you, put you out of business,” said grower Arnold Perry, who owns a tree stand in Perry Settlement.

The spruce budworm has already infested about 4.2 million hectares of forest in Quebec in the last few years. Researchers at the Canadian Forest Service say budworm is starting to spread into this province.

“Budworm outbreaks happen about every 35 years and we’re right on time for an outbreak,” said Rob Johns, forest insect ecologist with the Canadian Forest Service in Fredericton.

Johns is heading up a four-year, $18 million budworm research project he says shows the dreaded budworm migrated into northern New Brunswick from Quebec this past year.

Steps will be taken in June to prevent a massive infestation.

“We’re looking to spray. It’s about 12,000 hectares in Campbellton that we’re are going to be spraying with a double application of BTK.”

A non-toxic soil based bacteria, BTK kills budworm larvae. Johns’ goal is to prevent an outbreak like the one that hit the province more than 35 years ago and defoliated the majority of spruce and fir trees across New Brunswick.

“It’s potentially devastating,” he said.

Perry had an infestation of spruce budworm 35 years ago. He says it didn’t kill very many of his trees because he only had a couple of acres.

But today, he’s has 40 acres of Christmas trees and says the last thing he needs is spruce budworm moving in and chopping up all of his profits.

Johns says 150 traps have been placed across the province to capture budworm moths moving into the province.

“The moths are going to look like small little brown moths,” he said.

He says any hot spots where they do lay their eggs will be treated right away.

“Ideally it’s going to keep the populations relatively low and keep it from becoming a source of moths and a source of outbreak and spread in the coming years.”