CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is seeking the public’s input on a proposal for aerial treatment designed to limit gypsy moth infestation.
The plan would treat approximately 17,328 acres of land in the greater Eastern Panhandle, including the counties of Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Morgan Counties which are an area of concern for Lymantria dispar (spongy moth aka gypsy moth). defoliation according to the USDA. 
In sounding the alarm about the moth, the USDA writes, “without treatment, the Lymantria dispar infestations in West Virginia will reach high enough levels to cause defoliation and possible tree mortality. Large numbers of caterpillars are expected in the 2025 treatment areas. It is likely that many already stressed trees will not be able to withstand additional heavy defoliation and will die. Water quality, recreational experiences, wildlife habitat, and timber production could all be negatively affected. Excessive mortality will also reduce visual quality.”
The WVDA proposes to treat the acres under the WVDA Cooperative State-County-Landowner (CSCL) Suppression Program.

Approximately 17,328 acres of forestland are proposed for treatment with Mimic 2LV or Foray 48B in Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Morgan counties as soon as this May.. The specific dates will depend on weather conditions and the stage of development of the Lymantria dispar. 

This WVDA map shows the general location of the proposed treatment areas in the greater Eastern Panhandle

(The adjoining map shows the general location of the proposed treatment areas. More detailed maps with specific locations of the proposed treatment areas are available for review at the WVDA Plant Industries Division, New Creek office.)

The WVDA has consulted with the WV Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Biologist and the United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service concerning the presence of any rare, threatened, or endangered species (RTE) within the proposed treatment area. Both agencies concurred that the project is not likely to adversely affect RTE species.

The areas of most concern for “significant defoliation” in 2025 are Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Morgan Counties.  

According to the press release from the WVDA, the young Lymantria dispar caterpillars are spread by the wind, which blows the silken threads they exude, creating a parachute effect. Movement by this mechanism tends to be slow. However, humans have sped the process up considerably by unwittingly transporting the pest as eggs or caterpillars on firewood, RV’s, campers, and other vehicles. WVDA officials caution against the transport of firewood into or out of the state because pests such as the Lymantria dispar, hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer, spotted lanternfly and other invasive insects may be in or on the wood. These non-native pests have potentially devastating economic effects. Owners of RV’s and campers are asked to thoroughly inspect and wash their equipment before moving it. Even with these precautions, the Lymantria dispar has and will continue to spread, leaving site specific treatments as the only way to reduce population explosions and resulting tree mortality.

Landowners within the CSCL Program area of West Virginia contacted the WVDA to have their properties surveyed to determine if they contain Lymantria dispar populations in quantities high enough to produce possible tree mortality, defoliation, or a significant nuisance factor in the spring of 2025. Areas with 500 egg masses per acre (em/ac) or higher are designated for possible treatment on properties considered wooded residential, wooded recreational or non-residential forestland.  

According to the WVDA, landowners in the CSCL Program signed a contract with the WVDA and submitted payments, thus confirming the requested treatment for their Lymantria dispar problem. The landowners selected the spray material to be used on their property and verified their property boundaries. The proposed treatment would consist of one application of a specific control agent. These agents are a bacterium known as Foray 48B (BTK), which affects young caterpillars with minimum effects on other insects and animals or Mimic 2LV (Tebufenozide) which has a very low toxicity to all mammals and aquatic species.

In announcing the proposed treatment the WVDA says it has consulted with the WV Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Biologist and the United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service concerning the presence of any rare, threatened, or endangered species (RTE) within the proposed treatment area. Both agencies concurred that the project is not likely to adversely affect RTE species.

The WVDA will immediately begin solicitation of public comments on the areas proposed for treatment in the 2025 Lymantria Dispar treatments. Any comments, concerns or interest in this proposed project should be submitted in writing to Scott Hoffman or Jeff Johnson, P.O. Box 9, New Creek, WV 26743 or via e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected] no later than April 1, 2025.

Author: [email protected]