Orange-striped oakworms take over Scituate

SCITUATE, R.I.—They’re only two inches long, but orange-striped oakworms are voracious eaters and can quickly defoliate an oak tree.

And they’ve apparently taken over Scituate.

“In this area, I feel very sorry for the people because in the last five years, they pretty much have had a variety of defoliation,“ said Paul Dolan of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

Dolan said the worms are vicious eaters.

According to Dolan, the worms’ first choice of a meal is the oak tree. However, he said they will also feed on maple trees, birches and chestnut trees. The oakworms generally come out earlier in the summer, but Dolan said that this year was different.

“It’s a little bit late because of the cold, wet summer. But it’s emerged in the last couple of weeks. It’s really been quite a nuisance,“ he said.

Dolan said you can try and use pesticides or bacterial treatments, but they are very difficult to stop.

Dolan said Scituate residents usually have to deal with gypsy moth caterpillars in the summer. This year, residents are battling both gypsy moths and oakworms.

“What we’ve found is that with this double whammy, that with the gypsy moths followed up with the orange-striped oakworm, we’ve had defoliation in certain areas,“ he said.

Dolan said when the weather gets colder, the worms will head underground and will return in June in the form of moths.