Washington Plans To Spray For Gypsy Moths

(AP) – Two small areas of northwest Washington likely will be sprayed with an insecticide to stop an outbreak of gypsy moths, including a type native to Asia never before detected in the U.S.
The Capital Press reports the Washington State Department of Agriculture said it tentatively plans to release Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki over a small city on Puget Sound called Woodway, and an Everett neighborhood called Boulevard Bluffs.
Officials say a Hokkaido gypsy moth trapped in Woodway this summer was the first Hokkaido moth caught in the U.S.
Three hybrid Asian gypsy moths were caught in Boulevard Bluffs.
Gypsy moths native to Asia are more mobile than European varieties and are considered more of a danger to spread.
Before finalizing plans to spray next spring, the department will conduct environmental reviews and consult agencies including the USDA.
Washington has sprayed for gypsy moths most years since 1979.