Smitch250 t1_j8uls4a wrote on February 17, 2023 at 1:31 AM

Reply to comment by ScatheX1022 in it was a wicked nice day 🌞 by ScatheX1022

Yea but the browntail moth love this weather and they’ll be back out crushing our souls soon. If its on your property you know what I mean. Can’t even go outside without breaking out when they are in your trees. I’m spending $6k this year just to mitigate. $3k last year wasn’t nearly enough. I get so much anxiety because of the moths and this warm winter weather. Paying someone with a drone to remove the nests currently but they always return. I have 100s of oak trees and these damn things love oak. And I can’t even cut them down as they are too close to a water source and protected, not that I want to cut them down but now these damn moths have me wishing I never loved these 80’ oak trees. We need cold/wet springs but those days are gone. I love warm weather it’s depressing that I can’t love it anymore.

montel555 t1_j8v4rpy wrote on February 17, 2023 at 4:02 AM

For what it’s worth, I think the bone crushing cold a couple of weekends ago should mean a much better season for browntail this summer regardless of this weekend’s temp. My understanding is that 48 hours below 10 degrees has a significant impact on their reproduction.

If anyone has different or better info on this please correct me as a reply.

rateddurr t1_j8vh3hx wrote on February 17, 2023 at 6:02 AM

There's also a fungus that attacks them when it's wet and cold... and we've gotten a lot of that in central. I'm hopeful that their numbers will be lessened this year!

ScatheX1022 OP t1_j8umff9 wrote on February 17, 2023 at 1:36 AM

I'm sorry to hear about the financial toll, that's crazy.

Yes, and they'll come regardless of whether I took some moments to enjoy a warm day, or not. If I could change the climate by feeling differently, I would, because I am also dismayed by the effects of our warming planet, and the more localized outcomes.

Pretty soon this will be cool weather. I still have to find moments to smile and today was a nice day for it. That's all. The bigger picture is much darker.