05/22/2026
Spruce Budworm Update:
You may have seen recent news about spruce budworm treatments planned for parts of Cape Breton — so we wanted to share a bit more about what’s happening and why.
Spruce budworm has been a challenge for Nova Scotia’s forests for generations. When populations rise, repeated defoliation can weaken and kill trees over time, increasing wildfire risk.
With populations increasing in parts of Cape Breton, the Province has announced plans for a targeted early intervention treatment this June in the Pleasant Bay area using Btk — a biological insecticide approved by Health Canada and commonly used in forestry and agriculture.
By acting early, the goal is to reduce the risk of larger outbreaks, lessen the need for broader interventions over time and help protect forest health, wildlife habitat, rural communities and reduce long-term wildfire risk.
The goal is to help:
▪️Protect long-term forest health
▪️Reduce wildfire risk linked to dead and weakened trees
▪️Support wildlife habitat and healthy ecosystems
▪️Help protect rural communities and forestry-related jobs
▪️Reduce the need for larger-scale interventions down the road
Spruce budworm outbreaks occur naturally every 30–40 years, with Nova Scotia’s last major outbreak impacting more than one million hectares.
Forest Nova Scotia supports proactive efforts to protect forest health and reduce wildfire risk.
We'd like to thank Minister Kim Masland, MLA for Queens and the Department of Natural Resources for choosing to protect our forest with the early intervention strategy.
To learn more about the spruce budworm, visit:
Life History In late August or September, the eggs hatch, the larvae molt, and overwinter in the second instar. In late April or early May, the larvae (3 mm long) emerge from their hibernacula and begin to feed, mining the needles and buds. A week later they move to feed on the closed buds and any d...
