If You See This on a Tree in New York Destroy it Right Away

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is asking all New Yorkers to do their part to help protect our trees.

One of the best parts of living in the Hudson Valley is that we live in a portion of New York that has one of the most gorgeous backdrops anywhere in the state. In the summer and spring months, we have beautiful mountains covered by lush, healthy green trees. In the fall, those green leaves turn to a variety of orange, yellow, and brown, making parts of the Hudson Valley picture-perfect.

SEE ALSO: DEC Warns New York 'Do Not Touch This Plant!'

Now imagine if some of those breathtaking trees disappeared or became damaged beyond repair.

New York Trees in Danger

To avoid that from happening the folks at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are asking the public for its help in protecting trees across the Hudson Valley and New York from spongy moth egg masses which can severely damage trees. The spongy moth egg masses often appear as fuzzy, brown patches and oftentimes look like this...

Masses are often found on trees, firewood, lawn furniture, and almost any other hard surface, so the best advice is to inspect your yard to make sure there are no masses present. If you do find a mass or masses the DEC is asking all New Yorkers to do their part by looking for and destroying masses like the one pictured above. Each of these egg masses usually contains 600-700 eggs so its important to destroy them as soon as possible.

Why Are Spongy Moth Egg Masses Harmful?

Spongy moth egg masses are bad for trees and should be eliminated ASAP because if the eggs hatch the caterpillars that appear could consume the tree's leaves, which can weaken the tree making it more susceptible to disease and other harmful pests. The DEC has provided specific instructions explaining what to do if you discover a mass on your property recommending that folks scrape them off into hot, soapy water and dispose.

Removing their egg masses is not a cure for spongy moth infestations, but it can help reduce damage to local trees next year.