The Access Richmond Hill Contact Centre provides assistance for general inquiries, responds to questions or concerns regarding programs and services as well as accepts in person payments.
905-771-8800
Hours of Service:
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Report a problem with a service, e.g. missed garbage collection, overnight parking, potholes, street lights, etc.
Same insect, new name: The Entomological Society of Canada (ESC) has adopted the new common name of ‘spongy moth’ for Lymantria dispar dispar or LDD moth. Richmond Hill is joining the ESC, York Region and many other government agencies in adopting this new name. Over time, references to LDD moth in City materials will be changed to spongy moth.
Free burlap trap kits now available (while quantities last)
Free burlap trap kits are now available at the Operations Centre (1200 Elgin Mills Road East) for Richmond Hill residents to pick up during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. One kit per household. Scroll down for details.
Spongy moth (also known as Lymantria dispar dispar or LDD moth) is a naturalized invasive insect found throughout southern Ontario that feeds on a variety of tree species such as oak, birch and maple. It is known to have cyclical outbreaks every 7 to 10 years. LDD moth caterpillars eat leaves causing the trees to lose some or in extreme cases, all of their leaf canopy. However, since the canopy has the ability to regrow as the season progresses, long term effects can be reduced or prevented through management techniques.
How to identify spongy moth and infestation |
Spongy moth life cycle![]() The spongy moth has four distinct developmental stages in its life cycle similar to other butterflies and moths.
What does a spongy moth infestation look like?![]()
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Richmond Hill's plan to manage trees on public property |
Infestation levels in Richmond Hill have been low since the early 1990s. However, the insect has recently re-emerged. Richmond Hill is using a number of different methods to minimize damage to trees on City property and help reduce the spread of spongy moth in our community. This includes:
The City will not be conducting aerial spraying to treat spongy moth caterpillars. Aerial spraying is costly, does not reduce the pest’s population over the landscape long term, but aims to reduce defoliation levels. Aerial spraying requires multiple treatments, is only 60 to 80% effective and can still result in leaf loss. It can also affect other moth/butterfly species, which are an important source of food for many birds and other wildlife. In fact, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, skunks and more than 15 species of birds and several native insects will all help reduce LDD numbers. In addition to wildlife, a naturally occurring fungus (Entomophaga maimaiga) and virus (nucleopolyhedrosis), both harmless to humans, will also contribute to an eventual collapse of LDD populations. Based on surveys York Region conducted in the summer, signs of these have been observed throughout York Region, including Richmond Hill. The City also consults with York Region on how to manage this insect. Level of action and priority areas are largely determined from surveys York Region conducts within the City, which identify areas of high population or importance. These surveys can have a high impact on predicting and managing the numbers in the following year.
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Trees on private property are the responsibility of the property owner. You are encouraged to monitor the trees on your property to identify any signs of infection and take action protect your trees.
There are a number of actions you can take to help reduce spongy moth populations. Control methods are closely linked to the LDD moth’s life cycle stage and time of year. To help prevent infestation, water your tree regularly to promote tree health, especially during the hottest days of summer.
Late August to early May - Egg mass removal |
Watch the How-to Video |
Early May to mid-July - Remove caterpillars using burlap traps |
How to install and monitor burlap traps
Once the trap is set
Burlap bands can be removed in September once the caterpillars have gone into the cocoon stage. |
Free burlap trap kits are now available at the Operations Centre (1200 Elgin Mills Road East) for Richmond Hill residents to pick up during regular business hours, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Installing a burlap trap on affected trees beginning in early May through August will make it easier to collect and remove the caterpillars.
Kits are located at a self-serve station in the reception area. Each kit includes one (1) piece of burlap that can be cut to fit up to three (3) medium sized trees, twine and a how-to guide. Please register your kit by scanning the QR code at the self serve-station and providing your name, address and postal code. One kit per household.
In the event that managing populations becomes unfeasible through the methods described, seek a professional tree care company for assistance.
Trees that have lost their leaves should be watered regularly to promote leaf growth. Extensive watering should occur in the mornings and evenings during the hot summer months when natural precipitation is low, trees are stressed and most caterpillars are in their cocoon stage.