Gypsy Moth Treatment Proposed for Celo in June
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) has proposed gypsy moth treatments for the South Toe River Valley in June, including areas in Celo and near Mount Mitchell. The treatments would be administered through a manufactured pheromone spray released via aircraft, with the purpose of disrupting the moths’ mating rituals. Gypsy moth caterpillars can cause significant damage to forests if their numbers grow beyond sustainable populations. The caterpillars are voracious eaters; their appetites extend to more than 300 species of tree and shrub. Once defoliated, these trees and shrubs are left vulnerable to diseases and other kinds of pests that eventually kill them. In 2019, the NCDA&CS caught a total of eight male gypsy moths in Celo. By 2020, the number had increased to 28, which, according to the department website, suggests that a reproducing population is present in the area. Mating disruption methods utilize a chemical compound of female gyp...
