The state Department of Agriculture plans a gypsy moth spray treatment on Wednesday in Kent.
It will mark the second treatment in Kent. On Tuesday, the state sprayed for moths in Seattle, Gig Harbor, Lacey and Nisqually.
All gypsy moth treatments are very weather dependent as crews cannot apply the pesticide in the rain or if rain is in the immediate forecast. That means the Wednesday treatments may be delayed or even postponed to another day in the event of rain or other weather problems.
To date, the state has treated all locations where Asian gypsy moth was discovered this past summer and Seattle, where a large population of European gypsy moth was detected. Most sites have been treated twice.
All sites must be treated three times for the best chances of eradicating the gypsy moth. Crews treat all these sites with Btk, a non-chemical bacterial insecticide approved for organic agriculture. It targets caterpillars and is not harmful to people, pets or bees.
An airplane is being used to treat most sites, but the Vancouver site is being treated by helicopter in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, which is eradicating its own detection of gypsy moth in the Portland area.
For more information, go to agr.wa.gov/gypsymoth.
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