North Shore to be focus of gypsy moth treatment again this year

Residents along Lake Superior’s north shore will once again see aircraft overhead as the state continues to battle against the tree-munching gypsy moth. Last year 71,500 acres were treated and this year the Department of Agriculture expects the treatment to closer to 100,000 acres.

Gypsy moth treatment unit officials say almost all of the moths trapped in last year’s effort were in the Arrowhead. Some of the largest trapping concentrations were in Lake County, especially near Finland.

Gypsy moths, originally invading from Europe, have moved west across the U.S. for over 100 years.

One treatment method is to spray a pheromone that confuses male moths so they are unable to find and mate with females. Another method uses Btk, which is a naturally occurring insecticide that attacks the moth in its larval stage.