Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Michigan DNR advises spraying to fight spruce budworms

Michigan Department of Natural Resources forest health experts anticipate widespread defoliation from spruce budworms to continue across much of the Upper Peninsula in the weeks to come.

Robert Heyd, MDNR Forest Health Management Program leader, toured the region last week. He said the trees have shed their bud caps and spruce budworm larvae are feeding on the young spruce and fir shoots.

"Homeowners interested in protecting landscape spruce or fir from defoliation this year should spray trees now," Heyd said.

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