{"id":7110,"date":"2023-06-26T10:27:44","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T07:27:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cfwt.sua.ac.tz\/ecosystems\/?p=7110"},"modified":"2023-06-26T10:27:46","modified_gmt":"2023-06-26T07:27:46","slug":"invasive-moths-beetles-putting-local-forests-at-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cfwt.sua.ac.tz\/ecosystems\/news\/invasive-moths-beetles-putting-local-forests-at-risk","title":{"rendered":"Invasive moths, beetles putting local forests at risk"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some invasive species are putting our local forests at risk, according to the\u00a0R.I. Department of Environmental Management<\/a>\u00a0(DEM).<\/p>\n

The\u00a0spongy moth<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 formerly called the European gypsy moth \u2014 has wreaked havoc across the state in past years, and it\u2019s not alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m looking for bare trees, sickly trees, discoloration and stuff like that and that\u2019s usually what cues me in for what I need to look further for an outbreak,\u201d said DEM\u00a0Forest Health Program<\/a> Coordinator Alana Russell.<\/p>\n

Russell conducts statewide aerial surveys looking for potential threats to our environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe important thing to consider is monitoring your home and monitoring your population,\u201d she said. \u201cIn order to act on a spongy moth outbreak we need to know we have elevated levels so intervention isn\u2019t always needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The spongy moth has been spotted in other states this year, but so far, not may have been seen across the Ocean<\/a> State.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Instead] we have an abundant pollution of the winter moth \u2013 that\u2019s another invasive<\/a> caterpillar from Europe but it feeds a little earlier than spongy moths,\u201d Russell said.<\/p>\n

Winter moths are finishing up their feeding season while spongy moths will continue into late June, according to the DEM.<\/p>\n

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