Gypsy moth spraying to extend to 95,305 private acres in Pa.

By Anne Danahy

Before the hairy pests emerge from their yellow egg masses and begin finding their way up oaks and sugar maples to devour their leaves, the state will begin spraying wooded areas in Centre County to combat gypsy moths.

According to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 21 counties signed up 95,305 private acres for this year’s spraying program. That is nearly triple the 35,900 acres in 11 counties sprayed in 2007. It includes Centre County, which, according to the county coordinator, suffered more damage last year than any other county in the gypsy moths’ path, which stretches from Maine to Wisconsin to Virginia.

Spraying in Centre County is slated to take place May 13-19, although the dates are subject to change. The aerial spraying of the biological insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis, or BT, is part of the Bureau of Forestry’s statewide effort that will begin in early May and continue until the end of the month.

Karl Mierzejewski, the county’s gypsy moth coordinator, said along with the 13,371 private residential acres to be sprayed by the state in Centre County, another 25,800 acres of state forest land, 6,700 acres of Game Commission property and 640 acres of state parkland will be treated.

“A lot of gypsy moth spraying is being done here,” Mierzejewski said. “Defoliation obviously affects state forests. Once the state got the money from the federal government, we were obviously a high-priority area.”

That’s because last year the area was plagued by the seemingly insatiable caterpillars that ate the leaves off oaks and made a mess of sidewalks and yards. This year could be even worse, depending on factors such as the weather.

According to DCNR, 221,831 acres in 27 counties will be sprayed this year. The state will use nine helicopters and five fixed-wing aircraft.

BT, the biological insecticide used to combat the moths, affects only butterflies and moths in their caterpillar stages and quickly loses its effectiveness.

Mierzejewski said Centre County residents who want to receive information about the program should visit the county Web site, www.co.centre.pa.us, and sign up for the gypsy moth newsletter.

Anne Danahy can be reached at 231-4648.