Going After The Gypsy Moths

State officials were scheduled to begin spraying the county with insecticide aimed at gypsy moths today (May 12), according to the ExploreHoward blog.

The department will spray nearly 1,100 acres in Howard County using bacillus thuringiensis, a naturally occurring soil bacterium that has been authorized for use as a pesticide since 1961. It can cause irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract if encountered by humans, but any serious adverse health effects are not likely, according to a study prepared in 2004 for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Maps showing the 20 spray locations in the county can be found here.