Regina begins spraying to control cankerworms and tent caterpillars

REGINA – An early arrival of spring and pests could be bad news for the trees.

The City of Regina launched its Cankerworm and Tent Caterpillar spray program.

Russell Eirich Manager of Forestry, Pest Control and Horticulture said that they have “established a threshold for Cankerworms” only spraying when its bad.

After a relatively low threshold, the city skipped spraying for the past three years in order to not “waste resources, energy and money.”

READ MORE: ‘Tis the season for unwanted pests in Regina

Eirich adds it’s “one of the highest years we’ve seen for tent caterpillars” so the spray program will resume.

The program will be based on residential concern and only spray in areas of the city that need it.

Roughly 1500 trees in the North Central Area and 1000 trees in Harbour Landing and the creeks will be sprayed.

Eirich says that the spraying “will be in the North part of the city again doing some of the newer areas where the trees are a little bit smaller. Reason that we are in those areas first is, they’re on smaller trees because the trees are a little bit weaker.”

The city will be using DIPEL, an organic product that Eirich says is “naturally found in soils and grain dust.” With this product they can control the pest population without harming humans, pets, other wildlife or the environment.

The city is advising residents to use a BT-based product when spraying their own trees or to hire a professional tree care expert.