Martensville Messenger June 2, 2016 | Page 20

Page 20 - JUNE 2, 2016 - martensville messenger

Warman Fire Rescue Pancake Breakfast

Tent Caterpillar
Invasion

Marcy Cross,
Martensville Messenger

Lacie Munholland,
Martensville Messenger

On May 28th 2016,
Warman Fire Rescue held
an open house and pancake
breakfast from 7:30AM11:00AM. Kids were
treated to a bouncy castle
and the opportunity to
shoot water out of the fire
hose. The crowd was also
given the opportunity to
see the fire house jump into
action when a call came in.
Thankfully it was a false
alarm and the firefighters
were back to the open
house in a flash.

Tent caterpillars have
made their mark on most
of Saskatchewan and
Manitoba.
Community
residents
are
getting
creative with ways to rid
the pesky caterpillars,
including using a snow
blower. Tent caterpillars
are
different
from
cankerworms.
These
caterpillars like to clump
together and strip trees
of their leaves, most
commonly ash, poplar and
fruit trees.

being, it is recommended
for people to use a
commercially
prepared
Btk spray. The spray is
environmentally friendly
and organic and is found
at your local home and
garden centre. Saskatoon’s
Pest
Management
Supervisor Jeff Boone has
commented that this is
the third year this region
has had a tent caterpillar
outbreak. He suggests
that the caterpillars are
almost done feeding and
won’t
necessarily
be
a threat to tree health.

It is suspected that the
caterpillars have showed
up in such great numbers
due to the warm spring
allowing the caterpillar
eggs to hatch earlier than
normal. The caterpillars
will eventually cocoon
into some sort of moth,
and most residents are
hoping the wind with blow
them away. For the time

The infestations have led
to a more positive outcome
for students in Stockholm,
Saskatchewan. The school
has an outdoor classroom
that has recently been taken
over by tent caterpillars.
Rather than staying inside,
teachers are using the
caterpillar’s presence as
a way to teach students
about the environment.

ABOVE: Members of the Warman Fire Department help demonstrate using a fire hose. (Facebook)

ABOVE: Warman Fire Department had their emergency vehicles on display at the Pancake Breakfast. (Sandy Lockhart Photography)

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