The Gypsy Moth may have yet to cause widespread defoliation on Vancouver Island, but it is spreading. It has arrived in Sidney, having been found in some of the traps which workers collected yesterday. This pest has long been notorious for its outbreaks in eastern North America. If its population explodes in Sidney, it will have lots of trees to feed on -- quite a few Garry Oak, plenty of aspen (Populus tremuloides var. vancouveriana) and many introduced species (with Liquidambar styraciflua prominent among recent plantings). Its effects may be compounded by local watering practices. Many local gardeners don't bother to water their lawns (which go brown almost every summer, but seldom die). Trees have to rely on what natural precipitation provides and they often show evidence of drought stress by mid-July. Millions of hungry larvae plus lack of summer rain could make natural shade harder to find over the coming years. -Tony
