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| Southern Oregon the site for gypsy moth eradication effort | ||
| 04/02/2008 | ||
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Suggested lead The state's zero tolerance policy on gypsy moths is scheduled to be on display later this month as the Oregon Department of Agriculture conducts an eradication project in Southern Oregon: Entire audio file Audio 01 The Jackson County town of Shady Cove is this year's battlefield in the war against gypsy moth in Oregon. Last year, six moths were trapped in the area and evidence of a breeding population of the plant-eating invader has been discovered. ODA entomologist Barry Bai (bye) says officials have been working with the city and its residents to communicate the eradication plan: BAI: "We are all on the same page. We want to protect Oregon's natural environment and they have beautiful oak trees there. With the river and tourists, it's big. They certainly don't want gypsy moths to eat all the trees and the loss of foliage." :14 audio file Audio 02 If all goes according to plan, there will be three aerial applications in Shady Cove in the next several weeks of a biological insecticide routinely and effectively used in the past for other gypsy moth projects in Oregon: BAI: "Our goal is early detection, rapid response- meaning that we found six, for example, here in Shady Cove and we only have to treat 336 acres and hopefully just a one year treatment." :14 audio file Last year, gypsy moth eradication projects took place in Bend and St. Helens. No additional moths were trapped in either location during the summer and there is no need to return for more spraying. ODA hopes for similar results this year in Shady Cove. In Salem, I'm Bruce Pokarney. Additional audio: Audio 03 BAI says ODA found the source of the Shady Cove gypsy moth infestation after interviewing residents in the area last summer. One person had traveled back to Pennsylvania with a trailer to visit relatives and unwittingly brought back the gypsy moth: "They actually told us, when they were in Pennsylvania they saw the gypsy moth caterpillars crawling all over the place where they were at. As a result, we actually found some egg masses there, pupal cases, and one live egg mass." :16 audio file Additional audio: Audio 04 BAI says gypsy moth back east, where it is well established, has taken the leaves right off the trees, which is something Oregon hopes to avoid: "When they are having a good heavy infestation in the summer, they can completely defoliate trees and forests and wood stands. After two or three years of heavy infestations, they kill trees." :15 audio file Full story http://oregon.gov/ODA/news/080402gypsy_moth.shtml |
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