Cankerworm Control Program concludes tonight

WINNIPEG - June 8, 2007- Starting at 9:30 p.m. tonight, crews will continue treatment in Insect Management Area 49. After this evening’s treatment, the City of Winnipeg’s Cankerworm Control Program will conclude for the year.

Treatment will be conducted utilizing BTk, a biological product, which is sprayed from high pressure tree sprayers directly onto the foliage of the trees located in City parks and on City boulevards. This product has been approved for use in Canada by Health Canada - Pest Management Regulatory Agency, and will be used in accordance with federally approved labeled directions by licensed pesticide applicators.

Spraying of trees will occur between the hours of 9:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Spraying will not occur if there is a significant rainfall or winds are greater than 20 kmph.

This information is also available by visiting the web site at Winnipeg.ca/bugline or by calling the Bugline at 311.

This year the City undertook an extensive cankerworm control program. This was in response to the emergence of a significant cankerworm population resulting from their normal 5 to 7 year cycle. While it is never possible to completely eradicate the cankerworm population, the program was able to greatly reduce what could have been an extremely severe infestation.

The majority of cankerworms will be no longer feeding, thereby rendering any further spraying ineffective. Citizens will continue to notice worms hanging from their silken webs for about another week as they prepare for their next part of their life cycle. The branch would like to remind residents to put up their tree bands again this fall in order to minimize next year’s population of cankerworms.

Please refer to the back of the 2007 telephone white pages or visit our website at Winnipeg.ca/bugline for a map of the Insect Management Areas.