Saskatchewan is on the verge of a caterpillar infestation, and experts said it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Tent caterpillars are devouring trees across the province, and they’ve become a nuisance in several areas.
Hundreds of the crawly critters have taken over Christopher Maier’s backyard in Emma Lake. “Sunday we were sitting in the yard and they crawled all over us,” said Maier. “It was just gross.”
The tent caterpillars are defoliators that mostly feed on aspen and birch trees, and a warmer winter in the northern half of the province allowed for better survival rates. Now, experts are predicting a massive outbreak across the province over the next month.
"It becomes a nuisance because of the population densities. Periodically we get these massive outbreaks, typically every 10 years and they last three to four years. It's very predictable,” explained provincial entomologist, Rory McIntosh.
There are ways for people to combat the caterpillars. For example, putting edging with tangle foot or an insect barrier around home entrances can help repel them, but experts said it might just be a matter of waiting them out.
The caterpillars, while unpleasant, don’t pose any health risks. “They aren’t dangerous, for sure not. They don’t bite. It’s still yucky and just gross,” Maier said.
Over the coming weeks the province will conduct Arial surveys to see what kind of damage the caterpillars do to the birch and aspen population.
