Gypsy moth eradication to be discussed in local forum

A proposed treatment for the eradication of gypsy moths near Windsor Hall on the Purdue West Lafayette campus will be discussed at a forum scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30 in the Elm Room of the West Lafayette Public Library, 208 W. Columbia St.

A treatment was carried out in 2014 using low-flying planes to disperse Btk, a bacterium found naturally in soil and on leaves that produces protein crystals that kill specific kinds of insects. That process was followed up by dispersing pheromone flakes that disrupt the gypsy moth mating process.

The Indiana State Department of Natural Resources is planning a similar solution for the 2017 treatment. No date has been set for the spray, but Andy Robison, director of facilities with University Residences, says the treatment would take place in early May or later in the summer depending on the treatment that is chosen. He also says the process would be carried out in the early morning.

The gypsy moth, one of North America's most devastating forest pests, was accidentally introduced to the United States in 1868. The insect slowly spread throughout the Northeast and into parts of the upper Midwest and Great Lakes states, including Indiana.

The moth can deforest large swaths of tree canopy, causing environmental damage. An infestation of the moth also would require any shipment of goods from Tippecanoe County to be inspected and certified free of moths before it could be shipped.

Updates on the process and reminders about future treatment dates using the sprays and flakes will be available in Purdue Today and on Twitter through the @PurdueToday and @PurdueUnivNews accounts.