If you haven’t seen any winter moths around you either (a.) live some place else or (b) never go outside.
The state would like you to take this short survey. And if you really want to help researchers at UMass Amherst are looking for volunteers to assist with a one-day project collecting winter moth caterpillars from infested trees in the vicinity of Wellesley.
I stomped a few of these nasty critters last night and the night before. At the risk of outraging PETA, I hope someone finds an ecologically sound way to rid us of these creepy crawlies!!!!!
Good news, Sallee, they’ve already found it: a parasitic fly, C. albicans. Interesting blog post linked to from that survey link, written two years ago, indicates they were already having good results. The caterpillar collected (next spring) is probably around Wellesley because that has been one of the release sites for the fly. I will have to sign up for that caterpillar collecting thing. I wonder if they would like caterpillars from Newton, to see if the fly has reached here from Wellesley.
@Julia: It does say “in the vicinity of Wellesley,” which sounds like parts of Newton to me.
I can throw a rock to Wellesley from my house … maybe I will.
EEEEEEWWWWWWWW! Just fought my way through an army of winter mothers, um, I mean moths, to get into my house. A mere river separates me from the wilds of darkest Wellesley and I want my borders fortified against these disgusting invaders! I am going to summon the Warren Brigade to Quinobequin and demand installation of moth nets from the river to Mars! From what I have read, the beauties on my front door were all males (figures), but they went down with nary a fight…a finger flick sent wings flying east and moths falling south! Bring back DDT; cannons; nuclear weapons; fly swatters!!!!!! Help!
“I can see Russia from my house!”
Maybe Poland?
“Polls? Nah… they’re for strippers and cross country skiers.”
At this moment it appears that every Wellesley moth is wintering on my front door.
The survey link is broken.