Forest tent caterpillars, or “t’angoo dughai” have been spotted massing on deciduous trees locally, and across the west of Canada this summer, returning after an approximately 10 year cycle. If you find them yucky, luckily this year’s cycle will soon be over, but next year could support them in larger numbers. Photo Credit - Ian Gregg
Caterpillars have inspired many-legged creativity from children’s books, famous literary characters, theories involving government intervention, culinary exploits, to the Stranger’s rockabilly hit The Caterpillar Crawl. Perhaps more commonly, forest tent caterpillars inspire revulsion in those who happen upon a writhing infestation of them roughly every ten years. Locally, they’re doing just that as their blue-striped presence has re-emerged. They’re even making appearances as far away as Chetwynd, Calgary & Edmonton this June 2026. While it’s evident that many people find forest tent caterpillars yucky, CFURadio wondered if they pose any serious threat to people, the environment, or the plants they actively munch on.
Dr. Dezene Huber, an entomologist in the University of Northern British Columbia’s Ecosystem Science and Management Program spoke with us to essentially say, “No.” While their presence may be alarming, they do have a number of natural enemies which eventually bring their numbers down, all are an integral part of the ecosystem, and the critters have been present long enough locally to earn the Lheidli Dakelh name “t’angoo dughai.” While the forest tent caterpillar can cause allergic reactions in some people, and stress the trees after repeated outbreaks, ultimately, “a lot of forest insects, things we call pests, things like the mountain pine beetle,” said Huber, “they’re just here in low levels doing their thing. You’d have to go look hard for them to find them nine years out of ten, but then suddenly they show up and everyone is like, ‘Where did they come from?’ Well they were here. They just haven’t… they haven’t left.”
Meanwhile these arthropods will continue to munch until they mature into moths later this month. At which point they will lay their eggs, locally, and we will get to see if our environment can support their numbers next spring or not. Have a listen for lore, curiosity, and hopeless prevention tips.
Ian Gregg, CFURadio 88.7FM, Due North News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
In the collection of photos above, a stand of aspen trees has been eaten by forest tent caterpillars on the east side of Tyner Blvd near the University Heights neighborhood in Prince George—Lheidli T’enneh. One of these trees is featured in the photo collection. Another photo shows the pedestrian path on the East side of Tyner Blvd, which is littered with the desiccated remains of thousands of forest tent caterpillars.
Photo Credit - Ian Gregg
A mass of forest tent caterpillars is pictured. They tend to gather on hammock like structures of their own design, spun from the silk they can produce and dangle from.
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Looking at the next seven days in Prince George–Lheidli T’enneh, the weather forecast contains a bit of welcome precipitation, and a mix of sun & clouds. In the newsroom, here is what we’ve picked up on:
A city council meeting occurred Monday June 8th on the second floor of City Hall. Items on the agenda included a report on downtown fires, a zoning amendment for high density housing on 2000 Central St. East, an economic development strategy was approved, and a number of expenses totalling roughly 19 million dollars were ultimately approved the following day after an April 2026 Alternative Approval Process ran its course.
Prices at the pump dropped from last week, with highs of ¢176.9/L and lows of ¢157.8/L for gasoline reported.
There are three active fires in the Prince George fire district.
June marks Pride Month in Canada, with a Mayoral Proclamation kicking off Pride Week events June 26th at City Hall. The week includes a drag show on the 27th, followed by a dance, featuring a theme of queer history through the 20th century.
June 16th, 8pm @ Omineca Arts Centre BA Johnston entertains with Crones. $20 at the door.
June 20th, 8pm @ Prince George Legion 43, Master of Justice: A Metallica Tribute performs. $30 presales, $35 at the door (19+).
June 27th, 7pm @ Omineca Arts Centre Heatseeker & Vagabond play. $15 presales $20 at the door.
Beading workshops occur Wednesdays at Omineca Arts Centre, 6:30-9:00pm, hosted by Lynn Biles. Swing on by with a couple bucks for beading supplies.
- Ian Gregg, CFURadio 88.7FM, Due North News, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Performing Arts BC’s (PABC) Festival made its way to Prince George–Lheidli T’enneh this June 1st to 5th, not just awarding the finest performances in the province, but sharing resounding tales of resilience through decades of unstable provincial support.
Photo Credit - Ian Gregg
Affecting the residents of Prince George-Lheidli T’enneh & surrounding region, both the City of Prince George and the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George have officially adopted policies that strengthen local food sovereignty. Representatives from both entities spoke to CFURadio to lay out what their perceived roles are in the regional food system.
Photo Credit - Everyone At The Table Prince George
GoByBike Week attempts to measure the amount of alternative transportation, primarily on two wheels, occurring in communities across the province at a given time. This spring 2026, it runs May 31st to June 5th. The GoByBike BC Society then shares the collected data with levels of government.
Photo Credit - Dale Huzar PG Cycling Club
The Prince George Pride Society and the Northern BC Queer Connections Society are teaming up to bring a number of events to the community this June 2026, including a historical drag show party June 27th, and an enchanted afternoon tea June 28th.
The Community Legal Assistance Society which provides free legal advice to people who have experienced harassment in the workplace is bringing a workshop to Prince George that explores how to prevent, and address harassment in the workplace, also providing strategies to navigate the use of NDAs to perpetuate silence.
Picture Credit - Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS)
