Osoyoos Mayor reports town suffering from huge infestation of Elm Seed and Tuxedo Bugs

The Town of Osoyoos has been hit by a “huge infestation” of invasive Elm Seed and Tuxedo Bugs and Mayor Sue McKortoff said many residents are very concerned.

“I think they came over from Europe in 2016,” said McKortoff during a brief presentation to the board with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) Thursday. “They seem to be spreading very quickly.”

She called a local bug extermination company called Pest Detective in Osoyoos to try and get more information and see what they could do to appease the concerns of local residents who have found the invasive bugs on their property in recent weeks, said McKortoff.

“The Elm trees, which these guys feed on the seeds of, are backing onto the properties of the people in the Town … it’s between there and the highway,” she said. “It is actually Ministry of Highways property.”

During a break in proceedings at the RDOS board meeting Thursday, McKortoff was discussing the issue with Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure officials who were preparing to make a presentation to the board.

“These (bugs) seem to be quite prevalent in the Okanagan,” she said. “They’re an invasive bug. They don’t bite, but they are nasty and I’ve been asked to come over to houses to crawl up on the roof and have a look.”

She asked other property owners to send her pictures and one woman showed up at Town Hall with a jar full of the bugs, she said.

“I just want you to know this could be an issue in many other areas,” she said, adding she appreciated being able to be given the chance to speak to ministry officials about her concerns.

She did a bit of research and found out these bugs feast on the seeds produced by Elm trees and they have been detected in the Kelowna area dating back to 2016, said McKortoff.

Because most of the effected trees in Osoyoos are not on private property, but Crown land belonging to the Province, McKortoff has been informing residents there’s not much the Town can do to assist them.

Thankfully, residents who use the popular Facebook page called Osoyoos Loop have been sharing information about how to get rid of these pests and that has been helpful to many residents, she said.

While the Elm Seed and Tuxedo bugs don’t bite, they are found in large clusters and are capable of climbing inside open windows and small cracks around window ledges, she said.

“I guess they’re just really annoying is the main thing,” she said. “I had people crying on the phone.

“It’s a headache, that’s for sure, but there’s not much the Town can do.”

With summer just beginning, McKortoff is worried the infestation of these bugs in and around her community is going to go on for some time.