Trees on the hills around Cache Valley are being defoliated in large numbers this year by an infestation of what are called cankerworms.Though the situation might look dire to casual observers, experts say the presence of small, green-and-brown caterpillars will be short-lived and the trees should regain their leaves as summer progresses.
“They were pretty bad last year, but because of the mild winter, they overwintered really well, and so now we have an explosion,” said USU Extension horticulture specialist JayDee Gunnell. “The good news is the trees will re-leaf. After the cankerworms have come and defoliated, the trees will set a second set of leaves.” Read the rest of the story on HJnews.com.
This story is made possible thanks to a community reporting partnership between The Herald Journal and Utah Public Radio.
