The gypsy moth is a non-native pest that feeds on leaves and needles of over 300 different trees in the buckeye state. The feeding injury occurs in the spring and early summer when populations are present. The early season feeding, when heavy, causes the plants to push new leaves that ultimately are the food-factories for the rest of the year. Healthy deciduous trees can usually recover as long as there isn't repeat defoliation year after year. Evergreens can die in a single season as a result of the feeding injury.
The gypsy moth is currently in the egg mass stage and will be in this state until the eggs begin to hatch this spring. Eggs were laid by female moths last summer. The masses can be appear on any surface including: trees, fences, houses, sheds, garden decorations and more.
Earlier this year, applications were received from residents and/or communities where gypsy moth caterpillars had made their presence know in 2018. The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) received the applications and surveyed each area to determine if certain qualifications where met that would allow for treatments to manage populations to protect trees from the next generation. The application deadline is September 1 of the year prior to when the actual application will be made. For example, the blocks that will be treated in 2019, the application was due on September 1, 2018. To be considered for treatment by ODA in 2020, the deadline will be September 1, 2019.
Qualifications include:
- Be located in a county that has been designated quarantine for gypsy moth by ODA (see map below).
- Be no less than 50 contiguous acres.
- Have a tree canopy that covers no less than 50 % of the block.
- Consist of at least 35% tree species either susceptible or resistant to gypsy moth.
- Have an egg mass count of at least 250 egg masses per acre for residential forested areas or 1000 egg masses per acre for uninhabited forested areas.
- Receive a favorable assessment from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Below is a list of scheduled 2019 Gypsy Moth Open Houses provided by ODA. The information listed includes the open house date and time, county or counties where the treatment blocks are located, the name of the of the treatment block(s), the treatment being made in that particular block and the location including the address where the open house will take place. You will notice that on some evenings, two different open houses will be held on the same night.
Monday, February 4, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Hocking, Perry Counties
Rockbridge MD, New Straitsville MD Blocks
Hocking Soil & Water Conservation Office – Conference Room
148 North Homer Avenue (Fairgrounds)
Logan, OH
Tuesday, February 5, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Glenford MD, Granville MD, Hickman MD, Toboso MD, Granville Btk, Newark Btk, Fredonia Btk, Hickman Btk, Utica Btk Blocks
Village of Granville Office
141 East Broad St.
Granville, OH
Franklin County
Northwest Columbus MD Block
Columbus Park of Roses – Whetstone Shelterhouse
3923 North High Street
Columbus, OH
Wednesday, February 6, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Morgan, Perry, Muskingum Counties
Reinersville MD, Reinersville Btk, Crooksville MD, Deavertown Btk Blocks
OSU Extension Office – Morgan County
155 East Main St. (Room 325)
McConnelsville, OH
Licking County
Glenford MD, Granville MD, Hickman MD, Toboso MD, Granville Btk, Newark Btk, Fredonia Btk, Hickman Btk, Utica Btk Blocks
OSU Extension Office
771 East Main St.
Newark, OH
Thursday, February 7, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Muskingum, Guernsey, Noble Counties
Cumberland MD, Cumberland A Btk, Cumberland B Btk Blocks
Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department
444 West Main St.
Cumberland, OH
Marion County
Marion East A Btk, Marion East B Btk, Marion East C Btk, Marion East MD Blocks
Marion Municipal Airport
Terminal Building
1530 Pole Lane Rd.
Marion, OH
Monday, February 11, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Lucas County
Holland Btk Block
The Lodge at Strawberry Acres Park
950 South McCord Rd.
Holland, OH
Lucas County
Sylvania A Btk, Sylvania B Btk Blocks
Sylvania Township Offices
4927 North Holland Sylvania Rd.
Sylvania, OH
Tuesday, February 12, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Fulton County
Lyons A Btk, Lyons B Btk, Wauseon A Btk, Wauseon B1 Btk, Wauseon B2 Btk, Wauseon B3 Btk, Wauseon B4 Btk, Cox A Btk, Cox B Btk Blocks
OSU Extension Office – Fulton County
8770 State Route 108
Wauseon, OH
Alexis Btk, Copland Btk, Kenmore Btk, Longfellow, Ottawa Park Btk Blocks
2801 Broadway St.
Toledo, OH
Wednesday, February 13, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Fulton / Lucas Counties
Swanton Btk, Valleywood Btk Blocks
Swanton Village Hall
219 Chestnut St.
Swanton, OH
Lucas County
Alexis Btk, Copland Btk, Kenmore Btk, Longfellow, Ottawa Park Btk Blocks
Greenwood Park Shelter House
6150 Jackman Rd.
Toledo, OH
Thursday, February 14, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Lucas County
Alexis Btk, Copland Btk, Kenmore Btk, Longfellow, Ottawa Park Btk Blocks
Division of Parks, Recreation and Forestry Adm. Building - Ottawa Park
2201 Ottawa Parkway
Toledo, OH
Wood County
Cygnet MD Block
Village of Cygnet
325 Front Street
Cygnet, OH
Tuesday, February 19, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Cuyahoga County
Amber Lane Btk Block
Brecksville Community Center
1 Community Dr.
Brecksville, OH
Wednesday, February 20, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
North Canton Btk Block
Greentown Fire Department
Community Room
10100 Cleveland Ave. NW
Uniontown, OH
Hancock County
Arcadia MD, Arcadia A Btk, Arcadia B Btk Blocks
Burgeman Lodge
Riverbend Recreational Area
16618 Township Road 208
Findlay, OH
Thursday, February 21, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Erie County
Vermilion A Btk Block
St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church
15617 Mason Rd.
Vermillion, OH
Seneca County
Tiffin North Btk Block
Tiffin City Hall
Basement Training Room
51 East Market Street
Tiffin, OH
Monday, February 25, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Hardin, Union, Marion Counties
LaRue A MD, LaRue A Btk, LaRue B Btk, Larue C MD Blocks
Hale Township Hall
206 South West St.
Mt. Victory, OH
Lorain County
Findlay SP A, Findlay SP B Blocks
Findlay State Park – Nature Center
25381 State Route 58
Wellington, OH
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 (6pm – 8pm)
Allen County
Cairo MD Block
Allen County Fairgrounds – Red Cross Room
2750 Harding Highway
Lima, OH
Wyandot County
Meeker MD, Meeker Btk Blocks
Marseilles Volunteer Fire Department – Community Room
20461 State Route 37
LaRue, OH
The following treatment blocks will not be holding public open houses due to their small size and very low population being affected:
Mulga MD – Jackson County
Wapakoneta Btk – Auglaize County
Antwerp Btk – Paulding County
Dresden MD – Muskingum County
Residents may contact the ODA Gypsy Moth Program directly by phone (614-728-6400), e-mail (plantpest@agri.ohio.gov) to have any questions answered.
Additional posts on BYGL will be made as we near egg hatch, as well as optimal timing of treatments.
Stay tuned for more information.
