Times Observer file photo Gypsy Moth populations are on the uptick and spraying for the invasive species is underway.

Gypsy moth spraying is underway in Warren County

DCNR Cornplanter District Forester Cecile Stelter provided an update to the City of Warren Street Landscape Committee on Tuesday. The spraying is “in response to a growing gypsy moth population.”

“None of it was private spraying,” Stelter said, noting that the effort is focused on parts of Chapman State Park and the Allegheny National Forest.

Increasing populations of the bug mean that “people will see some defoliation.” she explained, particularly to oak trees.

“People should be on the lookout for that,” she said. “We are seeing the population kind of rise again.”

The guidance for how property owners can respond hasn’t changed in decades — some will burlap the trunk, smash the larvae and some pay for spraying, Stelter explained.

“It’s been a few years since we’ve seen gypsy moth. It kind of cycles up and down,” she said. “(We are) probably on the upcycle right now.”

CENTENNIAL EVENT DISCUSSED

The committee spent the rest of the meeting discussing how to mark the century anniversary of the formation of the prior ideation of the committee.

The group aims to hold a celebration and it looks like that event will be packaged with a ribbon cutting for a park project at Crescent Park that is expected to wrap up around Labor Day.

Committee members continue to work on a tree booklet that will be part of that event, highlighting – and offering commentary – on noticeable trees throughout the City of Warren.

In other updates, City Arborist Joe Reinke said the street and park trees planted this year are doing well but recommended that property owners who have one of those trees in front of their house would be well served to water it as we’re in a bit of a dry spell.