Gypsy Moth Suppression Program
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Bay County Building
515 Center Avenue, Suite 503
Bay City, Michigan 48708-5126
(989) 895-4195 Voice
(989) 895-4049 TDD/TTY
Special Events:
2011 Garden Walk - EAB Educational Event:
On Thursday, June 16, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m., six private gardens will be open for self guided tours along with a garden market, plant & white elephant sale and gourmet luncheon. The staff from the Bay County Gypsy Moth Suppression Program will be on hand to answer questions, provide education and offer treatment suggestions for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).
Bangor Township Green Team Rain Barrel Project:
The Rain Barrel Project will allow residents to use specially crafted rain barrels to capture rainwater from their roofs and use it for watering their gardens. The project could keep more than 5 million gallons of runoff from entering storm drains, which carry muck-making phosphorus and other pollutants to Saginaw Bay, the area’s source for drinking water.
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Gypsy Moth Suppression Program:
The purpose of the Gypsy Moth Suppression Program is to protect Bay County's highly valued trees from the damaging effects of the gypsy moth caterpillar. Gypsy moth populations can build to intolerable levels in a short time. When this build up occurs, the caterpillars will defoliate large trees in a few weeks, invade yards and recreational areas, and become a general nuisance to people living in infested areas.
Services offered by the Gypsy Moth Suppression Program include:
- Monitoring all wooded and residential areas of Bay County for the presence of gypsy moth life stages.
- Conduct suppression/control activities in heavily infested areas of the county. This includes determining where out-break level populations occur, contracting with an aerial applicator and conducting treatment projects in highly infested areas, and evaluation of treatment results.
- Cooperate with the Michigan Department of Agriculture's (MDA) grant program for gypsy moth suppression to ensure maximum reimbursement on treatment and administrative costs. By following MDA guidelines and participating in the grant program, Bay County is able to reduce the cost of the program for Bay County taxpayers.
- Conduct educational programs for schools, property owners, and local civic groups. The program utilizes Bay County Pinconning Park as a staging area for many of these presentations, which include information on the life cycle of the gypsy moth, how it fits into our local ecology, and methods for controlling the gypsy moth.
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Gyspy Moth Suppression Program Links of Interest:
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Emerald Ash Borer
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an Asian beetle that moved into the south-east corner of Michigan some time in the early 1990's. It's larvae feed on the cambium or conductive tissue just under the bark of ash trees.
The emerald ash borer(EAB) is a very destructive insect that kill all species of North American ash trees. It is responsible for the death of millions of trees throughout Michigan and it has spread to 13 additional states and 2 Canadian Provinces. First found in the Detroit area of south eastern Michigan in 2002, the EAB were most likely introduced into the USA in wood packing material during the early 1990's. The Bay County Gypsy Moth Suppression Program responded to threat to our local forests by adding the EAB education and monitoring to Gypsy Moth Program Activities.
Other Invasive Pests & Plants
Besides the Gypsy Moth and the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), there are many insects and plants that can invade our yards and woodlands. Please check out our information regarding Other Invasive Pests & Plants.
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Pest of the Month - July
Cottony Maple Scale
(Pulvinaria innumerabilis)
The Cottony Maple Scale is an insect pest of maples, especially silver maples and locust trees, but also will infest several other species. The pest is very common in the tri-city area of Michigan in June. Although the insect does not usually cause much damage to the tree, it is truly a pest to the humans who live below because of the copious honey-dew excretions of the insect. The honey-dew falls onto surfaces below and sooty mold proliferates in the sticky sweet substance. |
Additional Information & Assistance
Bay County Gypsy Moth Suppression Program staff members are available to visit your home or site to check for invasive pests such as gypsy moths, emerald ash borers and other native or non-native invasive pests that may be affecting the health of your trees and shrubs. Please call 989-895-4195 if you have any questions.