City in action against oak processionary moth

When the leaves sprout on the trees and it stays dry for a few days, the time is right: that's when the measures to combat the oak processionary moth begin. In the area of the city center, this task is carried out by a specialist company for tree care from Issum, while the municipal waste disposal and service company (ESB) takes care of the outer districts.

"In the inner city area, the contracted specialist company has already completed the work," says ESB manager Heinz Welberg. Meanwhile, work in the outer districts is continuing. According to Welberg, the time window for this is only "relatively narrow," which is why teams are sometimes deployed on weekends in the current weather conditions.

Means harmless to humans

For the preventive measures to control the oak processionary moth, the ESB uses a microbiological biocide. "This adheres to the leaf surface and is absorbed through feeding," says Sven van den Berg, department head of municipal operations at the ESB. The biocide is mixed with water and applied to the tree canopy using a spraying method, van den Berg says.

The active ingredient is based on a protein produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Its selective action makes it particularly gentle on beneficial insects and non-hazardous to bees, van den Berg explains.

When selecting the appropriate period for the measures, the leaf sprout of the oaks must be looked at, says van den Berg. "This must be sufficiently advanced for the agent to adhere to it." The activity of the caterpillars will also be monitored, he adds.

Reporting tool for oak processionary moth nests.

For all information on the topic of oak processionary moth, the city of Bocholt has, as in previous years, launched a website. There, citizens can also report nests of oak processionary moths. On public surfaces the city administration is responsible for the removal of nests, on private property the owner, communicates the city Bocholt.

The address for the website is: www.bocholt.de/eps