Helicopters Fly over Lake County in May!

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Lake County is one of 51 counties in Ohio that fall under the European Gypsy Moth Quarantine.

 

Gypsy moth 1

Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org 

 

Currently 51 counties in Ohio are regulated under the Gypsy Moth quarantine. Gypsy Moth regulated articles include, but are not limited to:

  • trees and woody shrubs, including cut Christmas trees;
  • logs, pulpwood, slab-wood, firewood, and wood-bark chips
  • outdoor household articles, including: tables, doghouses, planters, garden equipment, playhouses recreational vehicles
  • other products or articles, or means of conveyance that may carry a life stage of the Gypsy Moth

 

helicopter 3

 

Producers who ship nursery stock out of regulated areas to non-regulated areas must have their stock inspected and a certificate, which attests to the fact that their product is free of gypsy moth, must accompany each load.  Producers, who make repeated shipments, are urged to take steps necessary to qualify for a "Gypsy Moth Compliance Agreement" and master certificate; otherwise, they will face delays in obtaining certificates.

Compliance Agreements are written agreements between an entity engaged in growing, selling, processing, or moving regulated articles from a regulated area and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, setting forth specified conditions to prevent the spread of the gypsy moth. This agreement is needed by anyone moving regulated articles out of a regulated area to a non-regulated area and anyone in a non-regulated area receiving regulated articles from a regulated area.

One main requirement for the compliance agreement is that nurseries must apply a USDA-approved insecticide to the entire growing area in mid to late May.

 

Helicopter 2

 

For more information, contact the Plant Pest Control Section at 614-728-6400 or your local nursery inspector.

https://agri.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/oda/divisions/plant-health/gypsy-moth-program/

Assume that helicopters will be spraying in late May 2019. Typically, the product sprayed is a growth regulator that prohibits the European Gypsy Moth to complete its life cycle into an adult moth that is able to reproduce. The product used has a low toxicity to people and pets. People are encourage to stay indoors while active spraying is occurring. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact the Ohio State University Office of Extension – Lake County, Ohio.

Thomas deHaas - Agriculture Natural Resource Educator

dehaas.2@osu.edu 440-350-2269