Bill Hahn, Akron's arborist, said the city is worried about gypsy moths, especially in the area bordering on Sand Run Metro Park and on oak-lined streets in Wards 4 and 10. The caterpillars are particularly fond of oak leaves. Akron has up to 80,000 public trees on streets and in parks, but the number of oak trees is relatively low, Hahn said. Details will be announced later, he said. Trees defoliated The caterpillars, eating night and day, can strip leaves from trees.
Healthy trees are generally able to survive being defoliated one year.
When they are hit a second or third time, the odds of dying increase. Trees under stress from drought also are more likely to die. Gypsy moths defoliated 49,500 acres in Ohio in 1996, but the number plummeted to 4,852 acres in 1997 and 1,261 acres in 1998 because the fungus controlled the caterpillars. Last spring was dry, keeping the fungus from being effective, and the gypsy moth defoliated 48,000 acres in 1999. Three sprays can be used against the caterpillars.