A total of 117 Brush and Gap mountains were sprayed earlier this month with Btk. Montgomery County is participating in the Virginia Gypsy Moth Cooperative Suppression Program to kill gypsy moths in their early caterpillar stage on uninhabited forestland.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services uses the insecticides Bacillus
thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) and Dimilin to kill gypsy moths in their early caterpillar stage.

Btk is a biological insecticide used in the organic food industry to control caterpillars. Dimilin is
a chemical insecticide that is often more effective than Btk. Research indicates direct effects on
humans and other mammals are extremely unlikely. Both insecticides are mixed at low
concentrations with water for spraying.

Montgomery County faces a serious threat to forests, trees and shrubs from the gypsy moth. The
County was placed under quarantine last year because of this pest. The caterpillars primarily
forage on a variety of oak trees, but attack about 300 plant species. Tree defoliation can be more
than 90 percent in areas of high gypsy moth populations.

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