Crews to spray Winnipeg for forest tent caterpillars, elm bark beetles

City of Winnipeg crews will begin spraying for forest tent caterpillars on Sundayand elm bark beetles on Monday.

Crews will start spraying trees to kill forest tent caterpillar larvae in Kildonan Park at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. After that, boulevards, cemeteries and other parks will be sprayed.

City officials are predicting a "significant amount" of caterpillars this May and June.

Crews use a biological, organic spray called Btk, and homeowners can apply for 30-metre buffer zones if they don't want the product used near their properties.

On Monday, the elm bark beetle control program begins in Glenwood, Norwood East, Norwood West, Alpine Place, Elm Park, Lavalee, St. George, Varennes and Worthington.

• City workers to go onto private properties for ash tree inventory

Elm bark beetles carry Dutch elm disease, and the city uses Pyrate 480 EC to kill them.

Trees will be treated between 5:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. during the week.

As for mosquitoes, "aggressive" larviciding is already underway, city officials said.