04/20/07 Battling the Moth

Battling the moth. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. The latest battle in the war against the plant-eating gypsy moth in Oregon is about to begin. Once again, the Oregon Department of Agriculture is working to keep the invasive gypsy moth from establishing within the state, according to Kathleen Johnson of ODA's Insect Pest Prevention and Management Program: JOHNSON: We're preparing for an Asian gypsy moth eradication project up in St. Helens along the Columbia River, and we're also preparing for a gypsy moth eradication program over in Bend. The St. Helens project comes after a single Asian gypsy moth was trapped last year near the Columbia River. The Asian variety is potentially much more serious because the female can fly- which is not the case with the more common European gypsy moth. As for the Bend situation, the project is somewhat historic: JOHNSON: This is the first time that we've had a gypsy moth eradication project east of the Cascades. When you get 57 gypsy moths in an area, you find live females and live egg masses, you know you have a reproducing population. After having no eradication projects last year, 2007 is more typical for Oregon. ODA will be using the biological insecticide B.t.k. once again, which specifically targets the insect and has been safely and effectively used in gypsy moth projects for more than 20 years in Oregon. Johnson says quick action when gypsy moth populations are relatively small helps keep the invasive insect species from establishing permanently in Oregon. JOHNSON: Our goal is to find the gypsy moth and Asian gypsy moth introductions soon after they arrive, and then eradicate them quickly before they have time to spread. That way, we keep our costs lower and fewer people are impacted by the programs. Johnson says ODA will soon begin another important phase of its gypsy moth program by setting out thousands of traps statewide. Over the years, the public has become generally receptive to ODA's efforts. JOHNSON: I think people have become quite familiar with our green delta traps- the tent-like trap that contains the pheromone of the gypsy moth female. It attracts the males to it. They've also become more familiar with having smaller gypsy moth eradication programs at times. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.