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Maryland Gypsy Moth Outbreak09-21-07 | News

Maryland Gypsy Moth Outbreak




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Despite the spraying of more than 50,000 acres of public and privately owned land in May by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), Maryland is experiencing the worst gypsy moth outbreak in a dozen years.


Maryland is experiencing the worst gypsy moth outbreak in a dozen years. Despite the spraying of more than 50,000 acres of public and privately owned land in May by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), wooded areas of Cecil, Harford, Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery, Carroll, Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties are having problems with defoliation by the gypsy moth. MDA encourages landowners to call the nearest regional Forest Pest Management Office to report gypsy moth damage.

?EUR??,,????'??Many areas that were not expected to have gypsy moth damage and have not had any problems in recent years are now being defoliated unexpectedly,?EUR??,,????'?? said Mary Ellen Setting, MDA assistant secretary for plant industries and pest management. ?EUR??,,????'??We are asking landowners to report defoliation and egg masses to their nearest MDA field office so that we can prepare next spring?EUR??,,????'???s gypsy moth suppression program to protect against further damage to our forests and neighborhood trees.?EUR??,,????'??

The increase in gypsy moth populations this year can most likely be attributed to dry weather the last two seasons. Dry weather generally benefits the gypsy moth because it discourages the spread of the virus and fungal diseases that can infect and kill gypsy moth caterpillars.

Source: lancasterfarming.com

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