Four meetings will be held in mid-March by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to explain this year’s gypsy moth spray plans.
“The gypsy moth is a serious invasive pest that threatens our forests and urban trees. It threatens Wisconsin’s timber, paper, nursery and tourism industries,” said Christopher Foelker, coordinator of DATCP’s gypsy moth program.
Beginning in May and continuing through late July or early August, DATCP plans to apply selected areas in western Wisconsin with biological treatments and mating disrupters, using low-flying planes. About 89,684 acres at 36 sites in 14 counties are scheduled for treatment. These areas have expanding gypsy moth populations.
Counties scheduled to receive aerial treatments are:
- Barron (3 sites covering 2,736 acres)
- Bayfield (1 site, 787 acres)
- Buffalo (6 sites, 11,754 acres)
- Burnett (2 sites, 4,529 acres)
- Chippewa (4 sites, 12,794 acres)
- Crawford (4 sites, 5,971 acres)
- Douglas (1 site, 789 acres)
- Dunn (5 sites, 43,986 acres)
- Eau Claire (1 site, 674 acres)
- Grant (1 site, 497 acres)
- Green (1 site, 392 acres)
- Lafayette (2 sites, 527 acres
- Rusk (1 site, 463 acres)
- Vernon (3 sites, 3,785 acres)
Attendees of the gypsy moth meeting will have the opportunity to speak with staff, learn more about the treatments, about gypsy moths, and see maps of treatment areas.
The open house schedule is as follows:
- Monroe: Monday, March 12, noon-2 p.m., Monroe Public Library, 925 16th Ave., Monroe
- Viroqua: Tuesday, March 13, noon-2 p.m., Viroqua Public Library, 205 S. Rock Ave., Viroqua
- Menomonie: Wednesday, March 14, 5-6:30 pm, Menomonie Public Library, 600 Wolske Bay Road, Menomonie
- Spooner: Thursday, March 15, noon-2 p.m., Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Service Center, 801 W Maple St., Spooner
For more information on the upcoming meetings and the gypsy moth spray plans, visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/GMAerialSpray.aspx.