> From: Tom Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Date: Apr 29 2002
>> What is the pesticide used when spraying is done for the Gypsy Moth?
Thanks, Tom Taylor Lovely Lover NE MPLS >>
The main pesticide for controlling the Gypsy Moth is a naturally
occurring bacterium called BT or Bacillus thuringiensis. A different strain
of BT is currently used in the Twin Cities area for mosquito control.
Minnesota has only two very minor infestation areas so far - an area of
Minneapolis south of Lake Harriet, and Minneapolis's Wirth Park. But hold on
to your hats, this may be a big issue in a few years. You can thin down
their numbers, and you can slow down their advance, but you can't stop them.
Spraying pesticides and spending public tax money on Gypsy Moth control may
very well become a contentious political issue. The Gypsy Moth is an
invasive non-native that came across the Atlantic and has been moving
gradually west for decades. The ugly, messy, tree killing, massive hordes
are in eastern Wisconsin at this time, and moving this way at about 15 miles
per year. The heavy infestations should hit Minneapolis in about 10 years.
BT spraying does a good job of killing most of the Gypsy Moth caterpillars
in the spray areas. However, BT does a pretty good job of also killing most
of the other butterfly and moth caterpillars - outside of this, BT is
supposedly not too much of a concern - but I do not know much about this.
Maybe someone else can add to this.
Dave Stack
Harrison
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2174.html .
http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/morgantown/4557/gmoth/
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