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Abundance of Cankerworms in Mississauga This Year
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I'm getting many calls and emails about cankerworms, particularly in the Lorne Park area. This is not isolated to Ward 2. Trees are also being greatly affected in Wards 6 and 8.
The population of cankerworms (or inch worms) is much higher this year due the warmer winter. Here are some things you should know:
- The cankerworm feeding season is much shorter than the gypsy moth, with the life cycle of the worm being 7-10 days. At this point, we are more than halfway through the feeding season.
- Forestry is starting tomorrow, June 1st, with spraying of city owned trees in the Whiteoaks area, where there is both a high infestation of cankerworms and gypsy moth, with a second application 7-10 days later. The benefit to the timing of the treatment is that the worms will be sprayed while they are feeding, therefore having an impact on the population. The spraying will occur in the early morning hours. While the spray is biological and safe, it is recommended that you stay indoors with windows closed. It will take a few days for caterpillars to ingest and die.
- Trees that have been impacted by the feeding of the cankerworms should leaf out again this summer.
- Trees can withstand 3 or more years of defoliation, so this infestation should not have an impact on the overall health of trees in the area.
Thanks to the wet, cool spring, it is anticipated that the gypsy moth population will be low to moderate this year.
That being said, between pests and drought, our tree canopy has been under great stress over the last few years.
This morning at our General Committee Meeting, I asked staff to seriously consider aerial spraying for Spring 2018. For many people, they are losing too many trees or remaining trees are becoming too costly to manage. Other municipalities, including Toronto, have taken steps to spray. It has been 10 years since the City of Mississauga did aerial spraying. For the sake of the long term health of our tree canopy and local air quality, it’s time to take a look at that option again.
Please contact myself or Forestry if you have any questions or concerns.
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June is Seniors' Month in Mississauga. Residents are encouraged to participate in a variety of outdoor and indoor events offered by the City.
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These programs and events provide residents with the opportunity to make Mississauga a healthy, active and engaged community.
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Cycling Master Plan Update
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The City is working to update the Cycling Master Plan by gathering feedback from residents. There is a scheduled pop-up event at the Clarkson Community Centre on June 7th, 2:30 pm to 8:00 pm. There will be information about the Cycling Master Plan and staff will be conducting surveys. For more information:
http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/residents/trails
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Community Meeting - Future of the Former Imperial Oil Lands
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West Village Partners are the new owners of 70 Mississauga Rd. S. and they have prepared a draft master plan.
Inspiration Port Credit is hosting a community meeting on June 8 where the West Village Partners will present their draft master plan to the community.
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This meeting will be held at Clarke Memorial Hall, 161 Lakeshore Rd. W., 6:30-9:00 pm.
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CVC's Conservation Parks Summer Contest
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In celebration of Canada 150, CVC is hosting the
150 Days of Giveaways with Conservation Parks contest, in partnership with TRCA.
The great outdoors – there’s nothing more Canadian than that. This year, as Canadians prepare to celebrate Canada 150, Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) and Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) are launching the 150 Days of Giveaways with Conservation Parks contest. Up for grabs are 1,867 one-year ‘Family and Friends’ Conservation Parks memberships to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
For parks locations and contest details visit ConservationParks.ca.
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Mosquitoes - What You Should Know
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Thanks to the warm winter and wet spring, predictions are that mosquitoes are going to be bad this summer. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself.
You can reduce your exposure to mosquito bites by wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors and by applying mosquito repellent. Mosquitoes breed in standing water. You can help to minimize the mosquito breeding grounds around your home by:
- Recycling/disposing of unwanted containers
- Draining water regularly from rain barrels, flower pots, window boxes, planters and swimming pool covers
- Making sure your eavestroughs drain properly
- Changing the water in bird baths at least once a week
- Drilling holes in the bottom of recycling bins, trash containers and children's tire swings
- Removing and recycling old tires, plastic containers and paint cans
- Turning over wheelbarrows, canoes and plastic wading pools to drain the standing water
For more information on mosquito control, how to protect yourself from mosquito bites and the West Nile Virus visit
http://www.peel-bugbite.ca/ or call
Health Line Peel at 905-799-7700.
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Mark your calendars for the Mississauga Amacon Rotary Ribfest, to be held at Celebration Square on July 13-16, 2017. This is always a fun and delicious event. I look forward to it every year and look forward to seeing you there!
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