|
Montgomery County will participate in the Virginia Gypsy Moth Cooperative Suppression Program on 254 acres of uninhabited forestland between May 6 and 12, depending upon weather conditions.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services uses aerial spraying of the insecticides Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) and Dimilin to kill gypsy moths in their early caterpillar stage. A total of 117 acres near Giles County will be sprayed with Btk, and 137 acres near Roanoke County will be sprayed with Dimilin. While all regions are uninhabited forest land, the area on Poor Mountain near Roanoke County is more remote from homes.
Btk is a biological insecticide used in the organic food industry to control caterpillars. Dimilin is a chemical insecticide that is often more effective than Btk. Research indicates direct effects on humans and other mammals are extremely unlikely. Both insecticides are mixed at low concentrations with water for spraying.
Montgomery County faces a serious threat to forests, trees and shrubs from the gypsy moth. The
County was placed under quarantine last year because of this pest. The caterpillars primarily
forage on a variety of oak trees, but attack about 300 plant species. Tree defoliation can be more than 90 percent in areas of high gypsy moth populations. Healthy trees can survive one or two defoliations, but weak trees often die from subsequent attacks by disease or other insect pests. Some people, particularly children, are allergic to the caterpillars, egg masses and droppings. Migrating caterpillars can become a major nuisance during late June.
Virginia experienced its first gypsy moth defoliation in 1984. Since then, the gypsy moth has
defoliated more than 4.5 million acres in the state. |
