The battle against the gypsy moth continues as experts work to monitor infestations and manage the pest. Washington state is having a greater challenge in 2017, as the Washington State Department of Agriculture reports trapping 117 male gypsy moths this year in the annual trapping program — that’s the highest number caught since 1995.

The higher catch is an eye-opener for officials, but so is news that for the first time in state history, WSDA also identified an infestation of actively reproducing gypsy moths in Pierce County. The infestation included live female moths and dozens of gypsy moth egg masses. WSDA officials say that this site is believed to be the source of 83 of the 117 male gypsy moths caught in the state’s usual trapping program.

Beyond Pierce County, WSDA reported that another concentration of moth catches occurred in Kitsap County.

The state’s next step is to conduct egg mass surveys, which offer needed information for an eradication project. The greatest concern is the high number of catches in Pierce and Kitsap counties. The state plans to take action next spring.

WSDA conducted an eradication action in 2016, treating more than 10,000 acres. No gypsy moths have been caught in that eradication zone since the treatment. That gypsy moth treatment, conducted in 2016 near the Capitol Hill area in Seattle, was determined to be a success based on that lack of catches. Treatment areas for Asian gypsy moths required another year of trapping before they could be declared eradicated.

In the Northeast, where gypsy moth is established, millions of acres of trees have been defoliated and thousands of acres killed by the moths. Considered the most destructive forest pest, Washington state continues its work to keep the pest at bay.

WSDA reported that the outbreak out East “likely contributed to the increase in gypsy moths found in Washington,” according to a press statement. You can learn more about the program by visiting agr.wa.gov/gypsymoth.

Source: Washington State Department of Agriculture