(WSVN) - Donald Trump… caterpillars… they have nothing in common… or do they? A South Florida man is now being bugged by caterpillars falling from a tree on a Donald Trump golf course and he can’t get anyone to eliminate the pests, so what can he do? What everyone in South Florida does — call Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.
It’s safe to say President Donald Trump has bugged some Americans.
But politics aside, at one of his Doral golf courses, his property is literally bugging Juan Sanchez.
Juan Sanchez: “The tree which is located in Trump’s golf course outside our property.”
This tree on Mr. Trump’s Silver Fox Golf Course, behind Juan’s home… is filled with caterpillars?
Juan Sanchez: “There is a lot of larva, a lot of worms. There are a lot of worms.”
Hundreds and hundreds of the small insects that then blow off the tree into Juan’s back yard.
Juan Sanchez: “You see little little worms around the poles and net and I believe well, the pool is full of it.”
The caterpillar infestation from the tree started in April this year… just like it infested his pool in April last year… and just like last year, his family can’t go in their backyard.
Juan Sanchez: “My daughter can’t go outside. We can’t enjoy the pool or enjoy the outdoors, the porch at all. We can’t do anything.”
The dying insects turn his pool green. His pool guy cleans it up and it quickly becomes infested again.
Juan Sanchez: “Again we saw the same larva — the same worm.”
The caterpillars that survive turn into moths.
Last year Juan tolerated the problem but this year he wonders why the Trump golf course management team didn’t do something before the outbreak.
Juan Sanchez: “They know it’s around this year, this time of year. They are not taking the precautions for this to get fixed or get controlled.”
Trump Doral’s management…
Juan Sanchez: “They don’t care what is happening for our property.”
Since the tree is not on his property, Juan can’t touch it. And since he can’t get the golf course to do something, he has a suggestion…
Juan Sanchez: “And the main solution, I’m sorry to say, but to bring that tree down.”
It’s truly a mess. Imagine this in your pool and backyard. It would bug anyone, and Juan says even though it’s President Trump’s tree, he doesn’t blame Donald Trump.
Juan Sanchez: “It’s not about politics. It’s not about being the president. He has people to take care of this. Trump Doral management, because they should be taking care of that tree.”
Well Howard, how can he do anything about a tree on someone else’s property? Even if it’s the president…
Howard Finkelstein, 7News legal expert: “Normally the law won’t get involved when the problem is created by nature, but a few cities like Doral have passed local laws that require the landowner to remove any infestation of insects. In this case, it doesn’t mean cut down the tree. It means remove the caterpillars from the tree.”
We contacted the City of Doral and they moved quickly.
That day they went to meet with Juan and told him the infestation was a violation that needed to be corrected immediately.
We also contacted the managers of Trump National Doral. They told us they were going to trim the tree, as Juan wants.
They are also going to take preventive measures next year to prevent the infestation.
Juan Sanchez: “They have to be able to take care of this each March, treat the tree every March.”
Juan says he will remind Trump National to take care of it next year because he does not want to be bugged like this anymore.
Juan Sanchez: “Hopefully this won’t happen again because I will call you guys. You guys are fixers.”
Now, Juan could not trim the branches on that caterpillar infested tree because the limbs didn’t hang over his property. But when it comes to your neighbor’s tree, you have the right to cut any branches over your yard. However, you have to stay on your property to cut them and you have to pay for it, not the neighbor that owns the tree.
Got a problem that’s left your skin crawling? Tired of being bugged about it? Contact us. Hopefully we can trump other’s attempts to eliminate the pesty situation.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
Broward: 954-761-WSVN
On Twitter: @helpmehoward7
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