Toronto begins aerial spraying with LDD moth this weekend

Joanna Lavoie, CP24.com Published on Friday, May 27, 2022, 11:12 AM EDT Last Updated on Friday, May 27, 2022, 2:30 PM EDT

The city of Toronto will begin spraying biological pesticides on various parts of the city’s tree sheds this weekend in an attempt to control the spread of the highly destructive LDD moth.

Spraying will begin around 5:30 a.m. Saturday in High Park, Beth McEwen, the city’s manager of forestry and natural resource management, told CP24 on May 25.

The park will be closed during the spraying operation, which will last about three hours.

“Helicopters will fly about 50 feet above the canopy of trees and spray a fine mist of a biological pesticide called BoVir in High Park,” she said.

Weather permitting, parts of compartments 6, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 21 will be sprayed on Sunday, May 29.

In this case, the city will use an insecticide that is non-toxic to humans, birds, mammals, adult moths, butterflies, bees and other insects.

Anyone worried about the negative impact should avoid the area during and after spraying, McEwan said.

The non-native LDD moth, formerly known as the European Gypsy moth, feeds on tree leaves and can cause extensive defoliation of the tree crown.

There are several methods to control these moths, including tree injections, egg removal and ground spraying. Air spraying is another option when outbreaks occur. The last time the city of Toronto used this method in 2020.

In recent years, populations of LDD moths have increased in Toronto. According to the Department of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry of Ontario, this is the worst contamination in Ontario in 30 years.

Last summer, a significant portion of the tree canopy in Toronto was destroyed by LDD moths. To manage the situation this year, the city will spray about 80,000 acres of private and public land in the coming weeks. More dates for spraying will be announced soon.

Visit the interactive map of LDD moth treatment in the city of Toronto to see if your area is in a spray zone.

Anyone with additional questions or concerns should contact 311.