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SIGNUP FOR 2008 GYPSY MOTH SUPPRESSION PROGRAM TO BEGIN JULY 1
West Virginia landowners can help the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) and the WVU Extension Service fight gypsy moths, the state’s number one plant pest, through the Cooperative State-County-Landowner (CSCL) Gypsy Moth Suppression Program.
“The gypsy moth is the most serious plant pest in West Virginia. It eats a wide variety of trees and shrubs, and West Virginia’s vast forest resources offer an ideal habitat for this invasive pest to feed upon,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “This treatment program helps to safeguard our timber and tourism industries, which are vital components of our state’s economy.”
The gypsy moth feeds on more than 500 species, including West Virginia hardwoods. Defoliation by gypsy moth caterpillars can kill trees, or weaken them substantially, making them more susceptible to other pests and diseases.
Originally introduced into Massachusetts in 1869, the gypsy moth has slowly spread north to Maine and south to North Carolina. Despite control efforts, the infestation continues to move south and west.
Gypsy moths were first documented in West Virginia in 1972, and the first caterpillars were found in 1978. Each year, they affect tens of thousands of acres of West Virginia forest and cause millions of dollars in lost forest productivity.
The 2008 CSCL Program will accept egg mass survey applications from landowners in Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Brooke, Doddridge, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hancock, Hardy, Harrison, Jefferson, Lewis, Marion, Marshall, Mineral, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Ritchie, Taylor, Tyler, Tucker, Upshur, Webster and Wetzel Counties. The signup period runs from July 1 - August 31.
Landowners must provide a 7½-minute topographic map with property boundaries clearly marked. The WVDA cannot map your property for you. Topographic maps are available from the United States Geological Survey at 1-800-ASK-USGS or their website at http://store.usgs.gov.
The minimum acreage required to participate in the program is 50 contiguous acres of wooded land. Adjoining landowners may combine their properties to meet the acreage requirement. Blocks must be made as rectangular as possible to be treated properly by aircraft without significant overspray. The presence of electrical transmission lines, communication towers, etc., may prohibit some blocks or portions of some spray blocks from being sprayed.
Application forms and brochures detailing the program are available at local WVU Extension offices, www.wvagriculture.org/Division_Webpages/plant_industries.html, and at WVDA field offices in Elkins (304-637-0290), Inwood (304-229-5828), Morgantown (304-285-3133), New Creek (304-788-1066) and Moorefield (304-538-2397).
Once applications are received, a forest health expert will visit the property to determine if the level of gypsy moth infestation meets program guidelines. A final decision to participate in the program must be confirmed by signing a contract and making a deposit to the WVDA by December 7. A final payment to the WVDA will be required prior to actual treatment. Notification of the deadline for final payment will be by mail.
The 2007 landowner costs were $11.51 per acre for Btk and $8.65 per acre for Dimilin, but prices for the coming year may be higher. A 50 percent cost share on treatments may be available from the USDA Forest Service through a cooperative agreement with the WVDA. The total cost depends on the USDA Forest Service cost-sharing, total acres proposed for treatment, and the cost of the insecticide and aerial application.
For more information, contact WVDA Plant Industries Division Assistant Director Clark Haynes at 304-558-2212 or Gypsy Moth Program Manager Quentin “Butch” Sayers at 304-788-1066.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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