May 2012

Oak Processionary Moth Statement

Oak Processionary Moth (OPM) has been active on the Kew site since 2006. Staff at RBG Kew work closely with the Forestry Commission, Richmond Council and neighbouring London boroughs and other local organisations to monitor the situation and work together to tackle the problem.

In 2011 adult moths were captured in pheromone traps in the Gardens in July, and we therefore expect that any eggs they laid would have hatched on 5th April 2012.

We have a detailed monitoring programme in place covering all parts of the oak collection known to have been previously affected by OPM. On 14 and 15 May a team of professional arborists will be spraying some 400 oak trees.

An area of the Gardens will be closed to staff and visitors on these two days whilst the selected trees are sprayed.

Throughout the summer our trees will continue to be monitored for signs of caterpillars, nests, feeding damage and moths. Thanks to a successful spraying programmed introduced at Kew in 2010 there were no sightings of fresh nests in the Gardens in 2011

It is vital that we and all other stakeholders control and manage this exotic pest if we are to attempt to eradicate it from the UK.

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/oakprocessionarymoth