Kingswood For Life Issue 2

LISTEN TO THE LOONS
Then along came the gypsy moth caterpillars. I?ll
guess that is was the summer of 1982 that Alice and I
arrived at camp to the horrifying sight of millions of
leaf-eating pests, devouring everything green on the trees,
including pine needles, once all the deciduous goodies
were gone. I do not mean hand-picked leaves, like the
yummy maples and oaks; I mean it when I say
?everything? alive was food for the caterpillars.
It was worse than winter, since not only were the
trees barren of green, but the infestation continued down
to the nubs of the leaves. And, caterpillars have bowels
like the rest of living things, and they were constantly
pooping. It got so bad that Alice started walking around
during the sunny daytime with an umbrella.
Finally, two days before the campers arrived, out
of sheer desperation we hired an exterminator who
showed up in a truck hauling a huge tank of chemicals.
He attached a long fire hose and began bombing the tops
of all the trees, working his way all the way to the bottom
? one tree at a time. It took him hours to complete his
task. ?What is that stuff?? we all inquired. ?Liquid
Sevin,? he replied. ?But that is toxic to humans,? we
insisted. ?I?m still alive today,? he shot back with a
toothless grin.
Anyway, the caterpillars started dropping from
the vegetation as if they were hailstones in a summer
storm. Each one hit the ground, gyrating in an
involuntary spasm for a few seconds before dying. I can
remember standing near a picnic table and watching at
least a six-inch pile up of carcasses build
up in about five minutes time. Naturally, the counselors
present all began to mimic the caterpillars, lying on their
backs and flailing hands and legs wildly to and fro.
Miraculously, we had the whole mess cleaned up two days
hence and boys arrived only to a wintry-looking setting.
Of course, the summer was great, like all of them are.
So, what the heck does this story have to do with our
getting Kingswood? Plenty.
Stay tuned.
Little Bobby at center, 1951
Wachusett era photos