Just when you’re in the throes of enjoying the lush tree canopy in city, it stops being lush. One day, the shade is gone. The leaves are decimated. The mess is significant.

We can thank our nemesis, the gypsy moth, for that. Despite the June 5th spray in Wyoming, these buggers are back in force. (To learn how gypsy moths came to be such a menace in America in the first place, go here. Warning: Not for the faint of heart.)

According to the City’s website, under ideal spray conditions, 80% mitigation is expected. The consultant believes that extreme cold in April combined with extreme heat in May disrupted many of the gypsy moths’ normal patterns and resulted in fewer gypsy moth larva ingesting the spray product.

The City of Wyoming is documenting calls and conveying that information to the City Council and the consultant. Residents’ calls and emails are valuable and will help determine where treatment is needed in the future.

Due to the moth’s life cycle and the complexity of coordinating a community-wide spray, the City is not able to conduct a secondary treatment. Homeowners are encouraged to explore mitigation efforts of their own that would best serve the needs of individual properties. Here are some products that could help:

• Thuricide (sold under various brand names) — read the label to ensure it contains Btk
• Tanglefoot — this is a wrap that goes around the tree trunk and it prevents the caterpillars from going up to the tree canopy to eat
• Pheromone traps are another option, though they are not as effective

Another option is to hire a private contractor to treat smaller trees and ornamentals. Use caution when using other products as some can affect bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Refer to the City of Wyoming’s Facebook page or website for more information. There’s a form you can fill out on the website to alert the City to gypsy moths in your area. Use it.