Spongy moth caterpillers. Incredibly voracious creatures in 360-degree chow-down around a birch trunk. At risk: Minnesota forest, farm and tourist industries.
Tool is waxy substance to suppress mating
WINONA, Minn. — The state Agriculture Department is going airborne for to battle the spread of an invasive moth that threatens Minnesota forests. The target: Spongy moths. The battleground includes 19 sites in southeast Minnesota’s Fillmore, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties and cities including Austin, Goodview, Rochester, Stewartville and Winona. Crop-dusting planes will spray 112,000 acres. The weapon will be non-toxic substance that messes with the mating instincts of male spongy moths. Next year, according to the the plan, will be largely devoid of caterillars that would morph into the spongy moths. The Agriculture Department says the substance is benign to humans, animals, birds and other insects.
Yellow bird in shallow swoops. Under contract are pilots of small yellow crop-dusters with wing tanks loaded with spray. Weather permitting, the eight-day aerial campaign begins June 24. Repeated tree-top swoops begin daily at 6. a.m.
Up North toward Minnesota’s Arrowhead. A second theater of the state’s war on spongy moths. Lighter colors are infested but less so. Individually the moths appear harmless enough Typical length is 1 to 1-1/2 inches.