What invasive caterpillars are doing to our lakes and streams

Dan Riskin on how caterpillars can change lakes Canadians are familiar with caterpillar outbreaks, but as Dan Riskin reports, they may not know about how the outbreaks can impact lakes.

TORONTO — You don't have to tell anyone in Ontario or Quebec about the damage that can be done by Lymantria dispar, also known to some as gypsy moth caterpillars.

The invasive species ate its way through Central Canada this summer, gobbling up all the leaves they could find.

In addition to terrorizing trees, though, the caterpillars left a lesser-known problem for local waterways.

In this week's Riskin Report, CTV News Science and Technology Specialist Dan Riskin explains what scientists have just learned about how Lymantria dispar can affect the careful chemical balance of lakes and streams.

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