Residents around treatment areas will notice a low-flying airplane

St. Paul, MN: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) plans to treat six areas in Carlton County and one in St. Louis County to manage spongy moth infestations detected in those areas last fall. Officials plan to conduct the first of two rounds of aerial management activities, likely the week of June 10.
The exact date and time of aerial management activities depend heavily on weather conditions and insect development. Citizens are encouraged to sign up for text or email notifications for the most up-to-date information on these activities.

• Receive text notifications by texting "MNMDA Treatments" to 66468.
• Receive email notifications by texting "MNMDA Treatments [your email address here]" to 66468.
• Or sign up online

All management areas in Carlton County are in the eastern portion of the county; the area in St. Louis County is just north of Meadowlands. Exact locations can be found via maps on the MDA website or an interactive map that is searchable by address. Citizens may notice a low-flying airplane as it navigates the treatment areas. The aerial management activities will start as early as 5 a.m. It may take multiple days to complete the first round of activities. The MDA apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the plane's noise.
This is the first of two aerial applications of Foray/Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) over each area. The second will take place 5-14 days after the first application. Btk is a biological product that is organic-certified for food crops. It has no known health effects for humans, pets, birds, fish, livestock, bees, and other insects.
To help area citizens stay informed, the MDA has set up a Report a Pest Info Line at 1-888-545-MOTH with the latest treatment dates and times details. Residents can call the phone number on the morning of the treatments with any questions. Press 0 (zero) to speak to someone. The MDA's website also has information about spongy moths and control efforts.
The MDA offers the following tips to residents in the management area:

• The management product has no known health effects for humans, but residents may wish to stay indoors during the management activities and keep windows closed for a half hour after application.
• Residents can cover gardens or turn on sprinklers if they wish.
• The residue does not damage outdoor surfaces. However, soapy water will remove any residue from outdoor items.

Spongy moths are among America's most destructive tree pests, having caused millions of dollars in damage to Eastern forests. The moths are now threatening Minnesota. If present in large numbers, spongy moth caterpillars can defoliate large sections of forest. Oak, poplar, birch, and willow are among their preferred hosts. The moths spread slowly, but people can unintentionally help them spread by transporting firewood or other items on which the moths have laid their eggs.
Contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture at 1-888-545-6684 or [email protected] with questions regarding spongy moth and the planned treatment.
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Contact

Brittany Raveill, MDA Communications
651-201-6131
[email protected]