Home Remedies for Killing Gypsy Moths
Gypsy moths are a common problem of hardwood trees in the eastern United States. They were recognized as a problem in the 1980s and since then have destroyed around 1 million acres of forest per year. They are also a problem in homes as they destroy the wood of furniture and sometimes cause infestations inside the house. The moth starts out as larvae and grows into a caterpillar, which eventually evolves into the adult moth. Does this Spark an idea?
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Burlap Folded Strips
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If your are clearing gypsy moths from trees surrounding your property but are having a hard time collecting the caterpillars to destroy them, consider the burlap sack method. You will need a burlap sack to cut it into strips. Place the strips around the trunks of the trees on your property, which will create a "shelter" for the caterpillar and larvae to hide under. Come back in a day or two and open the burlap strip to remove the larvae and caterpillars that are hiding under it. Destroy the larvae and caterpillars before discarding them in the garbage.
Household detergent
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A strong household detergent is effective for killing the white colored, flightless female moths, which can produce up to 500 new caterpillars each year. You can find the females in July as they start the mating process and crawl toward pupation sites to mate. Collect them in a jar and add strong household detergent to the container. Let the solution sit for a day or two so that you are sure the females are killed. Discarding females in the garbage does not prevent them from mating, which is why it is important to kill them first.
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Homemade Sticky Paper
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Sticky paper is an effective way of controlling gypsy moths because it traps and kills the larvae of the moths as they move around. Make your own using a paste of corn syrup, sugar and water. Heat in a pan until the ingredients mix; wait for the paste to cool. Find some paper bags and apply the paste inside and outside. Place a couple of these bags in areas with high concentrations of larvae and moths. Gypsy moth larvae are attracted to dark resting spaces and will make their way in and become tangled in the mix.
Plastic Bottle Trap
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Collect a few old plastic bottles and cut some holes into the bottle so the gypsy moths can enter the chamber of the bottle. Fill the bottom portion of the bottle with the same solution of sugar, corn syrup and water as well as the outside. Attach some string to the top portion of the bottle so it can hang. Attach and hang the bottle in high traffic areas of gypsy moths. When the moth decides to rest on the bottle, it will become entangled and will not be able to escape.
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References
- Photo Credit gypsy moth caterpillar image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
