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NCDA&CS schedules a public meeting Feb. 21 in Bullock on proposed gypsy moth treatments
RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is seeking input from residents and other interested parties in Granville and Vance counties concerning planned treatment activities for the non-native, highly destructive gypsy moth.
The meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Bullock Volunteer Fire Department, 8677 U.S. Highway 15, Bullock. Information on proposed treatment options for the 16,967-acre site will be discussed.
Field monitoring activities conducted by the department have determined that reproducing populations of the gypsy moth exist in the Bullock community, north of Stovall, and the surrounding area. US Highway 15 North passes through and intersects Townsville Road in this block. Several waterways, including Spewmarrow Creek, Lick Branch, Beaver Pond Creek and Island Creek, flow into the James H. Kerr reservoir, the southern edge of which is within this block. The block is comprised of rural woods, farmland and 613 houses. The proposed treatment involves one application of mating disruptant.
In 2016, as many as 17 moths per trap were captured. In 2017, as many as 14 moths per trap were captured, indicating a persistent population.
In early spring, gypsy moth caterpillars feed on the leaves of hundreds of plant species, predominantly oaks and other hardwood trees. In heavily infested areas, trees may be completely stripped of foliage, leaving entire forests more susceptible to attacks from other pests.
Gypsy moths can also be a nuisance to the general public. In heavily infested areas, caterpillars may crawl on driveways, sidewalks, outdoor furniture, into homes, or end up in pools. Heavy defoliation can affect parks and recreation areas. Some people can have allergic reactions to the caterpillars’ tiny hairs if inhaled.
Options for dealing with gypsy moth infestations include aerial spraying of biological pesticides or gypsy moth mating disruptants. Trapping grids will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of these treatments.
The department has addressed spot introductions of the gypsy moth in several areas across North Carolina since the 1970s. The department is working with nine other states through the Gypsy Moth Slow the Spread Foundation and with other state and federal agencies to reduce the expansion of the gypsy moth into uninfested areas of the country.
