Gypsy moth caterpillars defoliated 90,574 acres in Burlington County this year, nearly four times last year?EUR??,,????'?????<

The damage is the worst since 1990, when 431,000 acres of trees statewide were stripped, officials said.

This year, the Agriculture Department contracted aerial services to spray bacillus thuringiensis, also known as Bt, over 21,218 acres in Burlington County and 62,500 acres statewide. Towns were allowed to join the program voluntarily at a cost of $40 per acre.

The U.S. Forest Service covered 50 percent of the cost for each town this year. However, township officials and residents said aerial spraying was ineffective.

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Residents formed two committees at a meeting in October. One committee is charged with educating the public about the gypsy moth caterpillar, its life cycle and what residents can do to suppress the defoliation problem. The committee would publish pamphlets to circulate by mail and post information on the municipal Web site.

A second committee was formed to provide residents with a list of contractors that could spray pesticides from the ground.

Most tree-care companies are certified to apply pesticides to treat gypsy moths and other insects, Brown said.

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