FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, FEB. 6, 2009

NCDA&CS reschedules public meeting for Feb. 16

for proposed gypsy moth treatment

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has rescheduled a meeting seeking input from residents in Currituck County concerning treatment options for the non-native, highly destructive gypsy moth.  Residents in or near proposed treatments areas have been notified of the rescheduled meeting by mail, but anyone is welcome to attend the public hearings.

Field monitoring activities conducted by NCDA&CS last year determined that reproducing populations of the gypsy moth exist in this county and represent a threat to hardwoods.

The rescheduled meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. at Currituck County Cooperative Extension Center, 120 Community Way, Barco.  This facility is located adjacent to Central Elementary School.  This meeting is for the proposed treatment areas near or associated with the Carova and Corolla areas in Currituck County. The original meeting planned for Tuesday, Jan. 20, was canceled due to inclement weather. 

NCDA&CS has addressed spot introductions of the gypsy moth in several areas across North Carolina since the 1970s. The department is working with nine other states through the Gypsy Moth Slow the Spread Foundation Inc. and with other state and federal agencies to reduce the expansion of the gypsy moth into uninfected areas of the state.

Gypsy moths feed on the leaves of hundreds of plant species, predominantly hardwood trees. In heavily infested areas, trees may be completely stripped of foliage, leaving entire forests more susceptible to attacks from other pests. 

Gypsy moths can also be a nuisance to the general public. Caterpillars may migrate in search of food, sometimes entering houses and swimming pools. 

Options for dealing with gypsy moth infestations include aerial spraying of biological pesticides and aerial applications of pheromone flakes. Trapping grids are used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments.

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