In this eye-opening episode of Plant Doctor with Mike Meier, Mike takes us back to the late 1960s and early 1970s when the East Coast was ravaged by gypsy moths. These pests decimated entire forests, leaving barren landscapes in their wake. Mike shares his personal experiences and vivid memories of this infestation, describing how the caterpillars' frass created a rain-like sound and how homeowners used a sticky substance called Tanglefoot to combat them.

Mike also delves into the controversy surrounding the renaming of gypsy moths to spongy moths, expressing his staunch opposition to the change. He explains the lifecycle of these pests, their lack of natural predators, and the innovative methods developed to control their population, including the use of fungal spores and mating disruptors.

Listeners will find practical advice on how to deal with these pests today, including the use of imidacloprid for ground drenching to make trees inedible to gypsy moths. Mike also answers listener questions on a range of gardening topics, from the impact of weed killer in grass clippings to effective rabbit repellents and dealing with tomato blight.

In this eye-opening episode of Plant Doctor with Mike Meier, Mike takes us back to the late 1960s and early 1970s when the East Coast was ravaged by gypsy moths. These pests decimated entire forests, leaving barren landscapes in their wake. Mike shares his personal experiences and vivid memories of this infestation, describing how the caterpillars' frass created a rain-like sound and how homeowners used a sticky substance called Tanglefoot to combat them.
Mike also delves into the controversy surrounding the renaming of gypsy moths to spongy moths, expressing his staunch opposition to the change. He explains the lifecycle of these pests, their lack of natural predators, and the innovative methods developed to control their population, including the use of fungal spores and mating disruptors.
Listeners will find practical advice on how to deal with these pests today, including the use of imidacloprid for ground drenching to make trees inedible to gypsy moths. Mike also answers listener questions on a range of gardening topics, from the impact of weed killer in grass clippings to effective rabbit repellents and dealing with tomato blight.

Join the Plant Dr. Mike Meier for help with your plants, lawn and trees, every Saturday morning from 10-11 on WIZM. Call with your questions at 608-785-7914.

Join the Plant Dr. Mike Meier for help with your plants, lawn and trees, every Saturday morning from 10-11 on WIZM. Call with your questions at 608-785-7914.

Plant Doctor with Mike Meier

Do you have a green thumb, but don't know where to start? Are all your plants dying, and you don't know why? If you need advice on how to take care of your lawn, trees, or house plants, the Plant Dr. Mike Meier can help!

Join Mike every Saturday morning from 10-11 on WIZMnews.com. You can also call in with your questions at 608-785-7914.

And if you miss an episode, you can always listen to this podcast later.

Do you have a green thumb, but don't know where to start? Are all your plants dying, and you don't know why? If you need advice on how to take care of your lawn, trees, or house plants, the Plant Dr. Mike Meier can help!
Join Mike every Saturday morning from 10-11 on <a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/">WIZMnews.com</a>. You can also call in with your questions at 608-785-7914.
And if you miss an episode, you can always listen to this podcast later.

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