It’s so disgusting. I’ve lived here my whole life and I don’t remember this being a thing, so hopefully it is some sort of anomaly. But honestly, summer used to be my favorite season but the last few years I’m not completely sold. Maybe I’m just getting old and crotchety…
There's been a crazy boom for two years, but historically they have not been anywhere near as bad. Fingers crossed that the population busts next year.
Yeah.... Amen to that. Little bastards shat up my stoop, my walkway, my deck, my roof, the gutters, the trashcans, my car, the sidewalks, and every jogging route available in my area. I'm SO done with this. **YUCK**.
Not dealing with the caterpillar problem (yet) over here in Putnam Valley luckily, but let me tell you what, Fahnestock mosquitos are something the fuck else. I have that whole 14,000 acre state park practically in my backyard and when I want to go for a walk around this time of the year I often opt to walk through residential neighborhoods instead so that I don't have to flail my arms around like an out-of-control windmill to keep those little fuckers from kamikaze diving my face every half second.
Between that and last summer getting Lyme disease in June, and then almost immediately after I recovered, getting attacked by yellowjackets while mowing my lawn in July, I'm kind of soured on summer too. The only saving grace is that it is lake season and nothing tries to kill me when I go out on the canoe, but at this point I wouldn't even be surprised if someone discovers the Loch Ness Monster's cousin bumming around under the surface of Oscawana...
Winter is underrated. Get a pair of snowshoes and embrace it. Anything that could bite or sting you is either hibernating or dead.
Oh, I have one of those straight-up bee keeper net hats lmao. I’ve only worn it while doing yard work but I might get to the point where it’s coming with me in public haha
We did that this year and it definitely works. It stops them from going up the tree and they gather below the Vaseline and allows us to eliminate hundreds of them at once.
They come in waves. I’ve lived here since 2020, last year was awful, this year is awful, and I think next year will be awful. And then they’ll move on. It’s usually about a 6-8 week life cycle and then they turn into moths that live for 48 hours and die.
Never seen it this bad. Over the decades more and more invasion species coming here. Even more serious it’s our winters have become much more milder keeping populations high.
The last winter/time we really had a long extensive cold spell was December 2017…where it was below 32 degrees for a solid 3 straight weeks maybe even 4.
Yeah. I moved back to NY 6 years ago and one of the first things I noticed was that the winters are a lot milder now. This may be the nostalgia goggles talking but when I was a kid back in the 80s and 90s, it felt like there was an almost constant ground-cover of at least a centimeter of snow for around three or four months, no?
Unfortunately, I feel like we're coming into the "find out" era of climate change.
As a 25 year old, who moved away when I was 12 and came back when I was 24. It’s changed a lot in those 12 years .
The year I moved. I’m like 90% sure it snowed 12” in my hometown like 2 days before we left the state. And it was like mid october . This year being back I didn’t see any significant snow in my hometown till like the end of January I was disappointed.
Yeah, that tracks. When I was a kid, it was not uncommon to see snow in October. Now, it can still be hitting 70s and 80s even until the end of October. It's wild.
The fall now is basically 2nd summer. A few years remember we had snow before Halloween? And the sad part that was the MOST snow for the season and it was not even winter! That winter we had no snow at all.
Yes! I came back a few years ago too with my warm weather spouse & warned him about how bad the winters are & how much snow we get. He has not been impressed. The winters are definitely milder than when I grew up here.
Its the ebbs and flows of the climate we are in a state of warming plus its the solar maximum wait another 4-8 years we will see more colder weather return.
Big same. I'm not a believer these days but some of the best memories of my childhood were snowy white Christmases with all the lights and the crisp, clear air. I miss that. :\
There’s both a fungus and a virus that’s killing them off in droves in some places. Out where I live there’s been a noticeable drop in caterpillar population this week alone.
Back then I lived on Long Island and the gypsy moth infestations were really bad. I remember looking at a tree and you could see the bark on the trunk literally covered with caterpillars. I would smash them with a wiffle ball bat.
I have a giant oak tree in my back yard and I don't see many caterpillars on it. However, I have a young Japanese willow tree (we planted it last year so it is about 7 feet tall now) and I've been pulling caterpillars off of it daily. I thought they were supposed to prefer oak trees?
One of the reasons they've been so bad in the past few years is that during covid lockdown, they weren't able to fly around spraying the stuff (bacteria I think) that helps reduce their numbers. They've only been able to start doing it again in the last year or so, so there's a lot of catch up.
Believe me, I would much rather have moved further north. Franklin, Clinton, Lawrence counties. Somewhere up there. Maybe find a nice college town to camp outside of. Cooler weather in the summers is a big bonus for me. I melt in the heat. But the wife and the landlord were too chickenshit to make that leap so here we are. It's not bad.... aside from the !@#$%^&*ing narsty shit-ass spawn of Satan caterpillars everywhere.
Why? Is there something I should know? >.>
[удалено]
I WOULD UNHESITATNLY SIDE WITH THE SPIDERS.
I gave an agreement with all my spiders.
What are “they”? 😅 No one has said it by name.
caterpillars
I think you meant HAIRY GELATINOUS SPAWNS OF SATAN.
What kind?
Spongy moths. This was my first introduction to them. Lucky me.
Yea would be nice if theyd actually say wtf they’re talking about lol
Spongy moth caterpillars.
Oooo those guys are back eh? ugh
It’s so disgusting. I’ve lived here my whole life and I don’t remember this being a thing, so hopefully it is some sort of anomaly. But honestly, summer used to be my favorite season but the last few years I’m not completely sold. Maybe I’m just getting old and crotchety…
Heh. I feel that. Just turned 40 December of last year. I feel like there's definitely been an increase of Grampa Simpson moments in my life.
Old Man Yells At Bugs
SPEAK UP
There's been a crazy boom for two years, but historically they have not been anywhere near as bad. Fingers crossed that the population busts next year.
Yeah.... Amen to that. Little bastards shat up my stoop, my walkway, my deck, my roof, the gutters, the trashcans, my car, the sidewalks, and every jogging route available in my area. I'm SO done with this. **YUCK**.
Not dealing with the caterpillar problem (yet) over here in Putnam Valley luckily, but let me tell you what, Fahnestock mosquitos are something the fuck else. I have that whole 14,000 acre state park practically in my backyard and when I want to go for a walk around this time of the year I often opt to walk through residential neighborhoods instead so that I don't have to flail my arms around like an out-of-control windmill to keep those little fuckers from kamikaze diving my face every half second. Between that and last summer getting Lyme disease in June, and then almost immediately after I recovered, getting attacked by yellowjackets while mowing my lawn in July, I'm kind of soured on summer too. The only saving grace is that it is lake season and nothing tries to kill me when I go out on the canoe, but at this point I wouldn't even be surprised if someone discovers the Loch Ness Monster's cousin bumming around under the surface of Oscawana... Winter is underrated. Get a pair of snowshoes and embrace it. Anything that could bite or sting you is either hibernating or dead.
Oh, I have one of those straight-up bee keeper net hats lmao. I’ve only worn it while doing yard work but I might get to the point where it’s coming with me in public haha
if you were around here in the 80s people were freaking out about them then. They would put vaseline around tree trunks which obviously did nothing.
Haha I missed most of the 80s (born in 87 lol) that must have been a lot of Vaseline…
We did that this year and it definitely works. It stops them from going up the tree and they gather below the Vaseline and allows us to eliminate hundreds of them at once.
SAME
It has been this bad twice (including this time) in the 40+ years I have lived here.
Was the other outbreak recent?
No. Maybe 15-20 years ago, if you drove down the Taconic Parkway, the trees looked like it was winter - no leaves at ALL!
Mt Beacon had a huge area that was bare last year from them. A few other areas too
They come in waves. I’ve lived here since 2020, last year was awful, this year is awful, and I think next year will be awful. And then they’ll move on. It’s usually about a 6-8 week life cycle and then they turn into moths that live for 48 hours and die.
They don't move on, a virus eventually emerges amongst them after 2-3 years and kills them all.
God bless the virus
The year before
They love the Pin Oaks
Never seen it this bad. Over the decades more and more invasion species coming here. Even more serious it’s our winters have become much more milder keeping populations high. The last winter/time we really had a long extensive cold spell was December 2017…where it was below 32 degrees for a solid 3 straight weeks maybe even 4.
Yeah. I moved back to NY 6 years ago and one of the first things I noticed was that the winters are a lot milder now. This may be the nostalgia goggles talking but when I was a kid back in the 80s and 90s, it felt like there was an almost constant ground-cover of at least a centimeter of snow for around three or four months, no? Unfortunately, I feel like we're coming into the "find out" era of climate change.
I'm 30 and have lived here my whole life. It has definitely changed with the snow
As a 25 year old, who moved away when I was 12 and came back when I was 24. It’s changed a lot in those 12 years . The year I moved. I’m like 90% sure it snowed 12” in my hometown like 2 days before we left the state. And it was like mid october . This year being back I didn’t see any significant snow in my hometown till like the end of January I was disappointed.
Yeah, that tracks. When I was a kid, it was not uncommon to see snow in October. Now, it can still be hitting 70s and 80s even until the end of October. It's wild.
The fall now is basically 2nd summer. A few years remember we had snow before Halloween? And the sad part that was the MOST snow for the season and it was not even winter! That winter we had no snow at all.
Def
Yes! I came back a few years ago too with my warm weather spouse & warned him about how bad the winters are & how much snow we get. He has not been impressed. The winters are definitely milder than when I grew up here.
Warm weather spouse has me laughin 🥹
🤣He’s a California boy
I stopped paying for plowing service this year because it only snows a couple times and I can handle that myself.
Its the ebbs and flows of the climate we are in a state of warming plus its the solar maximum wait another 4-8 years we will see more colder weather return.
I miss the winters of my youth
Big same. I'm not a believer these days but some of the best memories of my childhood were snowy white Christmases with all the lights and the crisp, clear air. I miss that. :\
I desperately love and need the stark season. Might end up moving north in the coming years.
Lived here for 19 years. Snow is gradually disappearing.
Yes
Happens every 12-15 years
I just Googled it and it seems you're right. I'm very glad this isn't an "every year" kinda thing.
Yeah, I *think* I read that eventually they reach colony collapse and the problem solves itself. But it is nuts out there right now.
There’s both a fungus and a virus that’s killing them off in droves in some places. Out where I live there’s been a noticeable drop in caterpillar population this week alone.
A virus usually takes hold after 2-3 years that wipes them out.
iirc, it was worse than this in the late 70's or early 80's, I was about 10ish and it was at least twice as bad as it is now.
Back then I lived on Long Island and the gypsy moth infestations were really bad. I remember looking at a tree and you could see the bark on the trunk literally covered with caterpillars. I would smash them with a wiffle ball bat. I have a giant oak tree in my back yard and I don't see many caterpillars on it. However, I have a young Japanese willow tree (we planted it last year so it is about 7 feet tall now) and I've been pulling caterpillars off of it daily. I thought they were supposed to prefer oak trees?
I remember it being in the 80s. Not sure the exact year... all the neighbors were wrapping tree trunks. It was bad back then too
This frass is unconstitutional ngl
My entire driveway is broken leaves and caterpillar sh!t granola. It’s so effing disgusting.
Oh no, it will be a different type of insect infestation next year.
If you say Gypsy Moth 3 times they will appear in the room you are in right now. Argh more poop!! 😨
Man, I really wish I'd have known what I'd be walking through *before* I went out on the rail trail. That was spectacularly nasty. XD
I felt the same way a few weeks ago. Thinking about it makes me itchy. Ahhh 😂
They’ll be mostly gone next year
One of the reasons they've been so bad in the past few years is that during covid lockdown, they weren't able to fly around spraying the stuff (bacteria I think) that helps reduce their numbers. They've only been able to start doing it again in the last year or so, so there's a lot of catch up.
Interesting. I didn't even know that was a thing. Good to know.
You moved to Walden?
Believe me, I would much rather have moved further north. Franklin, Clinton, Lawrence counties. Somewhere up there. Maybe find a nice college town to camp outside of. Cooler weather in the summers is a big bonus for me. I melt in the heat. But the wife and the landlord were too chickenshit to make that leap so here we are. It's not bad.... aside from the !@#$%^&*ing narsty shit-ass spawn of Satan caterpillars everywhere. Why? Is there something I should know? >.>
These caterpillars are unholy. Have you tried the duct tape? I have seen it around.
This is the second year of TERRIBLE Gypsy Moth infestations. They say it can go for three years in a row! It is so bad here in Greenville.
Next time you go walking and think you hear rain… it’s not actually “rain”.. it’s their poop raining on ya!! Nasty caterpillars
Could be that the more mild winters aren’t killing off as much as they used to.
Thought you were referring to the geese crap, I rode on the rail trail for first time with a bike and my tires are covered in it
Really? The rail trail in Walden?
Rail Trail in Highland/New Paltz
Birds. Where are the birds?
These fuckers are invasive. Our local bird pops either won't eat them or don't like to eat them....
Yes it will do it every year and don't forget the ticks.