Far be it for me to disagree with a VPB Commissioner but it seems logical to me that damage from loopers at this time of year, just before the trees will lose their leaves naturally would be a lot less stressful than if the insects attacked in the spring. Maybe this is wishful thinking as I see all the local Garry Oak tree leaves turning brown a bit prematurely this year due (I'm quite sure) to lack of sufficient water. I believe that they will bounce back next spring despite the early onset of autumn this year. Hopefully this will also be the case with trees in Vancouver. The worry is that successive years of drought and insect stress will eventually kill the trees - just as hundreds of Western Red Cedars have succumbed here on Vancouver Island the past few years. It is really heartbreaking.
