Now is the time to pay attention to the brown tail moth caterpillars, according to the Rockport Town Office. The town is getting ready to trim trees and otherwise attack the nests on town property at Marge Jones Recreation Fields and Walker Park before spring arrives.

 There may be pruning completed at both locations as well as some tree removal at the Marge Jones Fields. In addition, the town is working with an arborist to determine the best time to treat the trees at Walker Park with an injectable pesticide that will not affect other vegetation, insects, people or the water, the town said, in a Feb. 5 public notice.

But officials are also hoping individual landowners eliminate nests on their own property. The nests often appear in fruit, oak and birch trees and are easy to spot.

“If you see these webs in your trees around your property, we highly suggest that you clip the branch tips from your trees as soon as possible and remove the winter webs before April,” the town said. “Please use proper protective clothing. Soak the webs in soapy water over night or burn them.”

For additional information, view the Maine Forest Service, maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/browntail_moth_info.htm

Rockport has launched a “Report It, Fix It” tab at is municipal website that allows citizens to report common issues to the town government from their phones or computers. With this feature, citizens are also encouraged to take a photo of Brown Tail moth nests and report the location.

Under the Issue Category drop down menu, Select Brown Tailed Moths from the list.

List the street address or select the location from the map (there is a satellite option)

Add a description and photo (if you like) and your name and e-mail address if you want to be contacted in the future.

Select “Save Issue” (at the bottom) and you are done!

Hint, it is easier, if you do it directly from your smart phone, while standing near (but not too close) to the tree, it automatically locates you on the map.

If enough people take part in this, we will begin to create a map of effected areas and a contact list of people needing help with the problem.

It is not a solution at this point, but when a comprehensive solution is developed, we will have an inventory of affected areas and properties.