SURPRISING STUFF
Lake Geneva has many wonderful old oak trees that are being smothered by spongy moths.
The damage of the moths can destroy the integrity of the old trees resulting in them needing to be removed. The area between Freemont and Conant Street is home to a lot of treasured trees and is being targeted by the moths. Staff member John Foster added some education into the spongy moth to further explain why the eradication and control of the species was and is needed. Smith thanked the council for the approval and reallocation of funds that are needed to get the job done.
Lake Geneva is filled with so many big, beautiful, old trees, and a lot of them are oak. Oak seems to be a favorite of the Spongy Moth. Of course, the moth thrives on many species of trees but here in Lake Geneva, it has picked its favorite the good old oak tree. The soil injector will help detour the moth from the trees, but it is not a one-tool wonder it will also help with other pests and or diseases that Lake Geneva’s plant life may be fighting. The soil injector consists of a pallet, a tank, and an injector with a metered control. The injector is used to inject the needed soluble chemicals into the ground at the root of the trees with the meter helping to only use the needed amount.
This wasn’t a small purchase but a necessary one. The equipment was approximately $5,000 and the soluble chemicals were about $10,000. This injector will be very useful for many situations in the future. The five-acre woods between Freemont and Conant Street with at least eighty large oaks are in danger. There are also many oaks at the Cemetery and the Hillmoor property that could need help at some point. Comparing the price of the equipment and chemicals to the very old, and Oak trees is a no-brainer as the trees are irreplaceable. When there is an outbreak of the spongy moth it can kill the trees. The spongy moth otherwise known as the gypsy moth mates and builds nests on trees, rocks, and anywhere.
Residents can help with the issue by scraping any nests (if you should see any) into soapy water. If the moths are not stopped before they start, they can defoliate a tree very fast almost overnight. The problem with a defoliated tree is if it happens repeatedly to a tree, it will not last and if it happens to an already problematic tree once may be too much. In spring the ground will be injected with the chemical in early spring. When the caterpillars start eating the leaves the chemical that was injected will paralyze them, stopping them from doing any further damage. Some of the trees are over one hundred and fifty years old and irreplaceable. Removing trees is very expensive and treating the trees can be a very smart choice.
Place of the Week
Annie’s Burgertown in Elkhorn is now open! Construction is done and it’s better than ever.
