Community Science

Spongy Moth Egg Sac Removal

Spongy moths are an invasive species that wreak havoc on Hamilton’s tree canopy every year. Our project brings the community together in vital stewardship work by removing spongy moth egg sacs from trees. With each egg sac you remove, you save approximately 300 square metres of leaf surface area in Hamilton's urban canopy.

You can look for spongy moth egg sacs pretty much anywhere (seriously - we have found them on umbrellas, barbecue covers, and other sneaky spots!). Consider watching for them when you’re out hiking or even just walking along the street.

 

Request your free removal kit

Removed any sacs? Fill out our Spongy Month Tracking Form, so our team can calculate an estimate on the leaf area saved.

Spongy Moth Tracking Form

 

Check out the amazing impact we’ve had!

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*You may have seen us refer to these insects as LDD moths in the past, this is an abbreviation for the insects’ scientific name, Lymantria dispar dispar, and this was the only name used to refer to them for the period of time between June 2021 and March 2022. The Entomological Society of America (ESA), the group in charge of determining common names for insects, decided to remove the previous common name in June of 2021 as part of their Better Names Project because it included a derogatory term for the Romani people. The new name “Spongy Moth” was officially announced on March 2nd, 2022.

 

Community Clean Ups and Personal Waste Audits

Participate in these projects to help keep our communities clean and progress in waste reduction! We will compile all of the data submitted to us by the amazing groups and individuals participating in this project, and use it to inform future waste campaigns!

Community Clean Ups: collect waste from your neighbourhood, school or local park to help keep wildlife safe and Hamilton clean. By using our free resources to track what types of waste you find, will help us determine what kinds of waste in various environments throughout Hamilton.

Personal Waste Audits: Doing a personal waste audit at home or in the classroom will help you to determine the things you throw away most often and how much of it there really is. This is a great step to complete when you are trying to reduce your waste – reducing waste is far easier when you get to know what’s in your bin!

 

Request Community Clean-up Resources

Bat Conservation

This project is currently INACTIVE as bats are hibernating. Please check in again in the late spring

Ontario is home to eight bat species, however, out of the eight species, three are endangered. Bats are an important component of Ontario's forest ecosystems as they contribute to insect control, nutrient cycling and seed and pollen dispersal. Our bat conservation program includes a digital bat buddy kit with challenges designed to inform individuals on the importance of bats in our ecosystem as well as empower individuals with strategies to support bat populations in their communities.