WV Prepares for 09 gypsy moth spraying

[Jeremy]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Helicopters will soon crisscross West Virginia's forests as part of this year's gypsy moth suppression program.



The state Department of Agriculture said the aerial spraying effort could begin the first full week of May depending on when moth eggs hatch.



This year about 39,000 acres will be sprayed in Berkeley, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Monroe, Morgan, Pocahontas and Preston counties.



Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass said aerial surveys show at least 81,000 acres of forest were defoliated last year.



Douglass has predicted that this could be a bad year for gypsy moths.

[Wormdoc]

The war wages on! So far, I've been lucky in my little patch and haven't seen the dreaded beasties, but I still send in my little bit of support to Campbell for the spraying. My trees are keeping their lil' green leaves crossed.

Those odious moths can be so devastating.

[campbell]

Thanks for posting this Jeremy.
The statistics are pretty alarming, especially when you consider that we have had two consecutive wet and cool springs, which is ideal for the supressing entomophaga fungus to develop.
Here is how the number of defoliated acres has jumped.
2004-0
2005-2,641
2006-17,272
2007-77,910
2008-81,308