BRISTOL — Bristol has a bug problem, and the town government doesn’t know what to do about it. A portion of the most recent Bristol Town Council meeting was devoted to the winter moth, a predator that has been damaging trees throughout town, primarily the east side and the gorgeous canopy of High Street.

The winter moth in the larvae stage is a predator of trees such as birch, maple and cherry. When the larvae hatch in the spring, they feed voraciously on leaves and fruit, causing heavy damage to the trees. Damage from the winter moth infestation ranges from moderate to high, the highest levels indicated at the town beach and on High Street.

“These trees don’t look like this because it is fall,” said Walter Burke, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, as he pointed out damaged trees near the town beach. Most of the trees in the area have been damaged by the winter moth and holes are clearly visible in the remaining leaves. Over 100 new trees were planted in the area last year and the young trees now struggle to survive. “[The larvae] hatch inside of the buds and feast. Then when the buds open, the holes in the leaves are already there,” he said.

Three potential solutions to the infestation were discussed at the council meeting on Oct. 7. However, councilors are having a difficult time deciphering which option is the safest and most effective.

Option one is Conserve (spinosad), an insecticide spray that will cost 75 cents a gallon and is considered safe when dry (four hours after spraying), but is recommended to be used in areas where access can be controlled. Conserve is a quick solution to tree infestations, as it is effective once the insect comes in contact with the chemical.

On the flip side, it is very toxic to other insects, such as bees. Councilor Mary Parella is worried about using the Conserve spray in public areas such as the town beach, where children could come in contact with the chemical. “What are the residual effects?” she asked. “What if children fall and it gets on their skin?” Further research on human safety is being done to present to the council at its next meeting.

Option two is a biological approach called Dipel. Dipel was presented as a safer, but possibly less effective and more expensive method than Conserve. At 80 cents a gallon, Dipel is only effective if ingested by the larvae and the insects are not exterminated immediately after feeding. The bacteria can take up to three days before it fully attacks the insect, allowing the larvae to continue to feed on trees, causing further damage.

According to a letter to the council from Bristol Tree Warden Sam Kinder regarding the options, “the treatment will involve spraying the trees with hydraulic spray equipment that will undoubtedly result in some non-target drift no matter what precautions are taken.”

Councilor Halsey Herreshoff suggested the town try both approaches in different areas where public access can be controlled and conduct an experiment of its own to decide which approach is most effective.

The final option is to team up with a research program at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, which is working with scientists to rid the Northeast of the winter moth. Scientists found an alternative to insecticides — a predatory fly, known as Cyzenis albicans, which lay eggs on the leaves that are then ingested by the winter moth caterpillars. When the caterpillars bury themselves in the ground to develop into moths, the fly eggs hatch inside the caterpillar and develop into a larval fly, killing the winter moth and surviving to continue the cycle.

However, the project is a slow, long-term process. It would take five years before the predatory fly could develop and spread enough to effectively diminish the winter moth population in the area.

According to Raymond Payson of the town’s tree commission, which is working with Mr. Kinder, the plan is to use more than one element to diminish the winter moth population. “We are trying to make a two-fold approach,” said Mr. Payson. “Spray in certain areas and then release the flies in a safe haven area so the spray would not hurt them.”

The council requested more information on the safety and effectiveness of the three options, as well as information regarding where the funding will come from. The issue will be continued at the next council meeting.