MN Ag Dept begins 2013 gypsy moth trapping program

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will set nearly 14,500 gypsy moth traps across Minnesota this spring as part of its annual program to monitor Minnesota’s forests and urban areas for new infestations of the destructive tree pest.

Gypsy moth caterpillars eat the leaves of many trees and shrubs, favoring oak, poplar, birch and willow. Severe, repeated infestations can kill trees, especially when the trees are already stressed by drought or other factors.

Fortunately, there are effective tools available to identify and control gypsy moth infestations. Minnesota’s early warning system against these moths is a deceptively low-tech network of small, cardboard traps set on trees or poles across the state. The cardboard traps contain a pheromone to lure in male gypsy moths. Once inside the trap, the moths become stuck to the sticky interior surface. Depending on trapping results, the final step may be a localized treatment to control the moths. Northeastern Minnesota is again expected to be a hot spot for gypsy moths in 2013, although the Twin Cities metro area is also considered to be at high risk.

Minnesota is a member of a federal program called “Slow-The-Spread of Gypsy Moth” (STS). For more than a decade STS has helped Minnesota delay the full-scale invasion of gypsy moths even as the pest’s numbers swelled in Wisconsin and other eastern states.

“For nearly 40 years, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and our partners have protected Minnesota’s trees from this nasty pest,” MDA Plant Protection Director Geir Friisoe said. “Our efforts have saved important industries like tourism and forestry from economic harm. Each year we delay the moths is a victory for the environment and the economy.”

Minnesotans can help fight gypsy moths and other defoliators by taking two simple steps to avoid giving the pests a ride to new areas. First, don’t transport firewood. Second, when leaving any area infested with gypsy moths, check tents, vehicles and other outdoor articles for the moths’ distinctive fuzzy, buff-colored egg masses. More details can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/gypsymoth or www.hungrypests.org.