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Gypsy Moth Treatment for Duluth Neighborhood Proposed
Minnesota Ag Connection - 02/15/2018

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and partner organizations are planning to tackle a gypsy moth infestation within Duluth's Lakeside Neighborhood this spring. In anticipation of the proposed treatment, the Department is inviting people to learn about the effort at an informational meeting on March 1 in Duluth.

Gypsy moths are ranked among America's most destructive tree pests. The insect has caused millions of dollars in damage to forests as it has spread from New England to Wisconsin in recent decades. Gypsy moth caterpillars can defoliate large sections of forest. The pests are common in Wisconsin and are now establishing themselves in Minnesota.

The MDA maintains a monitoring program to watch for start-up infestations, and when an infestation is found, the Department conducts aerial treatments of the infestation before it can spread. In 2017, the MDA found an infestation in the Lakeside Neighborhood. The Department is now developing a treatment plan for an affected area that begins approximately at Oneida Street on the south and North 52nd Avenue East on the east and extends northwest past Skyline Drive.Details of the area can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/gmtreatments.

The MDA will host a public open house from 6 to 7 p.m. on March 1 to share information with citizens about the threat gypsy moths pose to the environment and how officials plan to protect the urban forest. A presentation will begin at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held at Faith Lutheran Church, lower level (wheelchair accessible), 1814 N 51st Ave., Duluth.

Over the years, the MDA has successfully treated dozens of gypsy moth infestations across eastern Minnesota from Grand Portage to the Twin Cities to Houston County, including treatments in Duluth in 2011 and 2014. These successful treatments help postpone the full-scale invasion of gypsy moth, saving local communities and homeowners money and protecting the health of the state's urban and natural forests.

For more information on the proposed treatments, go to www.mda.state.mn.us/gmtreatments.


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