moths

Looper moth outbreak in pacific northwest expected to continue for another year

Written by: Karissa Ketter, News Writer Over the past few weeks, moths have been swarming Metro Vancouver. Native to North America, these insects are known as western hemlock loopers and phantom loopers, according to Dr. Gerhard Gries, professor of evolutionary biology and ecology at SFU.  It has only been in recent months that those in the pacific northwest have noticed the moths crowding their homes, but as Dr. Gries states, “Outbreaks [can] last for two or three years,” and occur every 10–12 years. According to the District of North Vancouver, “we are currently in year two” of the outbreak.  The…

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