In a January 27, 2022 Press Release the Maine Forest Service, in conjunction with Governor Janet T. Mills, announced that February 2022 be recognized as Browntail Moth Awareness Month in Maine.  The designation aims to encourage people to take advantage of the dormant season of the insect and join together to reduce impacts from browntail moth (BTM).  

BTM populations in Maine have been in an outbreak phase since 2015 and the pest cannot be eradicated. Most areas of Maine, especially settled areas with significant host tree populations such as oak, apple, crabapple, pear, birch, cherry, or other hardwoods, are at risk of infestation by the caterpillars. While long-lasting tree defoliation and branch dieback are major concerns, BTM's microscopic, toxic hairs can cause trouble breathing and skin irritation similar to poison ivy from a few hours up to several weeks. 

Winter is the best time to clip and destroy BTM winter webs within reach or hire licensed arborists or pesticide applicators to reduce out-of-reach populations.  The Maine Forest Service campaign "Knock Out Browntail Moth" provides instructions on how to combat the winter nests by following the Four Rs: Recognize, Remove, Recruit, and Reach Out:

Recognize: Learn how to tell if the trees where you live, work, and play have BTM. Their winter webs can look like single leaves hanging onto twigs or fist-sized clumps of leaves tied together tightly with silk. Knowing where the nests are in your yard or town can help inform your management decisions.

Remove: With permission, use hand snips or extendable pole pruners to remove webs within reach from the ground and away from hazards such as powerlines. Protect your eyes and skin from hairs that might be present from past caterpillar activity. After removal, destroy webs by burning or soaking in soapy water for several days, then dispose of the nests in the trash.

Recruit: Hire professional help to treat webs out of reach or near hazards on the property you own or manage. Line up help during winter. Licensed Professional Arborists can remove BTM webs in larger trees and shrubs in the winter. In trees where the caterpillars' hairs cause a nuisance and where it is not practical to remove the webs, Licensed Pesticide Applicators may be able to use insecticides during the growing season to manage BTM.

Reach Out: If you find BTM in your neighborhood, let your neighbors and town officials know. The more neighbors, businesses, and others get together to respond to the problem, the better the results.

In addition to information and resources available at the Maine Forest Service "Knock Out Browntail Moth" webpage, a series of webinar and in-person events will be offered throughout the month of February.  This includes a January 27 conversation on Maine Public Broadcasting Network's Maine Calling.