BOSTON (WBZ) ―
WBZ
viewers are 'Curious' about
those white-winged creatures
fluttering around lights at
night, especially where there
are trees nearby. They are
called Winter Moths.
"Their wings are flapping.
They're kind of almost in your
face," said Alice Abrams, who
has an infestation on her
property in Lexington. "You feel
like you want to rush in the
house as quickly as possible and
slam the door behind you and
kind of flick them off before
they come in with you."
Just like their more familiar
cousin, the Gypsy Moth, they
feed on maple, oak, elm, and
fruit trees. But Winter Moths
have a different life cycle.
Instead of flying around in warm
weather, you see them in
December and January. They are
now laying eggs that will hatch
in April, leaving tiny green
caterpillars that feed on trees.
"An unhealthy tree can die
pretty quickly," says Arborist
Mark Bezreh. "In high numbers,
it's a major problem."
Unlike the
Asian Longhorn Beetle
invading Worcester, there is a
remedy for the Winter Moth.
Arborists can apply a nontoxic
spray derived from natural
bacteria to kill the pest.
It can only be used on the
caterpillars though, so you have
to wait until spring.