Seattle Press on Line - Caught in the Gypsy Moth Trap

WSDA will spray Whittier Heights with pesticide

Caught in the Gypsy Moth Trap

By Sara Longley

In the spray zone: Dibble Avenue NW.

Mar 28, 2002 -- Spring in Ballard means the return of green to trees and lawns, and flowers blooming despite sudden late snow. It also means the appearance of insects, as the young nymphs and caterpillars emerge from their winter cocoons. In one neighborhood north of Ballard, the Washington Department of Agriculture (WSDA) will be waiting for them.

Last year, two pheremone traps in Whittier Heights caught a total of eight male European Gypsy Moths. Nearby, two egg masses were discovered in the long city block between NW 80th and NW 83rd Streets. Based on this evidence, the WSDA plans to spray the affected area with a commercial pesticide, Foray 48B. The active ingredient in Foray 48B is Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk), a bacteria that produces a substance toxic to Gypsy Moth caterpillars. The spraying of the community is necessary, according to the WSDA web site, to eradicate the non-native moth, thus protecting the neighborhood from permanent infestation and potential massive defoliation by the hungry caterpillars.

The spraying will involve three applications of the pesticide to trees and shrubs in the neighborhood, probably starting in late April. The area sprayed will be from 8th Avenue NW to 10th Avenue NW, and from NW 83rd to roughly two properties south of NW 80th Streets--about 16.5 acres. Neighbors will get less than a day's notice of the spraying, because the application cannot be done until weather conditions are just right.

The mixture of Foray 48B that will be sprayed into the neighborhood air contains Plyac, added because it is a surfactant, i.e. it lowers the viscosity of the fluid. However, Plyac is also an endocrine disruptor, one of a family called "alkyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanols." No Spray Zone's Web site cites studies showing that these substances activate estrogen receptors in cells, in some experimental cases stimulating the growth of breast cancer cells and feminizing male fish.

Another "inert" ingredient of Foray 48B is BIT (1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one), a disinfectant used to prevent the growth of bacteria, molds or yeasts. No Spray Zone speculates that BIT is added to Foray 48B to inhibit the growth of bacteria other than Btk. BIT is so toxic it has been banned by the Netherlands. It has been listed by the Environmental Protection Agency as a "probably immunotoxicant," and exposure to small amounts of it might be expected to cause sensitization or allergic reactions.

For more information:

No Spray Zone:
www.nosprayzone.org.

Public Health of Seattle & King County on Gypsy Moth control:
www.metrokc.gov/health/env_hlth/gypsy.htm.

Washington State Department of Agriculture on Gypsy Moth control:
http://www.wa.gov/agr/gypsy.htm.

Andrea Faste, president of the Whittier Heights Community Council, says that she and others have canvassed the homes slated to be sprayed, about 105 households. Of those, she says, 15 have told WSDA that they do not want to be included in the spray operation. At press time, she does not know whether they will be exempted or not.

"It's important to keep all this in perspective," said Claude Ginsburg of No Spray Zone, a local activist group. He called the WSDA policy an overreaction. In areas of New England with long-term infestations, according to Ginsburg, defoliation hardly ever occurs any more. As the ecosystem adjusts, the moth population is controlled by predators. "Here," he said, "we have isolated incursions, a few dozen moths in a few acres, and the response [from WSDA] is, 'We've got to get rid of this, we'll do anything we can.'"

The No Spray Zone Web site contains many arguments against the WSDA plan, citing possible adverse health effects of Btk and the supposedly "inert" ingredients in the Foray 48B formula. In pesticide-speak, a substance is called "inert" if it does not affect the target organism of the pesticide, in this case the Gypsy Moth. However, this does not mean that such ingredients are harmless to other organisms, and two of the "inert" ingredients of Foray 48B--a surfactant and endocrine disruptor called Plyac and BIT, a disinfectant banned in the Netherlands--should cause alarm.

What to look out for: a Gypsy Moth caterpillar devouring leaves.

"This stuff they're spraying is a whole lot more dangerous than they're admitting," said Ginsburg. He is also nervous because Btk itself is not normally found naturally, and it may have health effects that are not yet known. Both WSDA and Valent Biosciences, the manufacturer of Foray 48B call Btk a "naturally occurring bacteria found in soil," but recommend that people with compromised immune systems, asthma or allergies, as well as the very young or old, should avoid breathing the Foray 48B spray. Ginsburg warned, "Bt can cause sickness. We don't know all the effects ... Nobody [at WSDA] is thinking about long-term solutions here."

Faste and Ginsburg favor a different method of Gypsy Moth control--a pheremone called Disparlure. The pheremone is applied to an area in slow-release tiny packets, and blanket the neighborhood with moth perfume for three months during the mating season. The male moths are confused and rarely find an actual female, thus decreasing the moth population. This method poses no harm to any organism; and it only affects male Gypsy Moths. Where it has been used, it has proven equally as effective as Foray 48B. "Here is an opportunity to try something different," said Faste. "The neighbors will help in any way they can ... So why not?"

Reader Comments

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Zelda	Sep 09, 2002	Waitakere, NEW ZEALAND
I sympathise with the people of Ballard. 3 sprays, sounds a lot better than the 40 sprays(on top of the 8 we have already had). Spraying every 3 weeks for 3 years. We already have sick people, more to come! Foray 48B should not be aerially sprayed. REF: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=2647004&thesection=news&thesubsection=general


Marilyn	Sep 23, 2002	New Brunswick, Canada
Gypsy Moth has come to the Washademoak and Grand Lake areas of New Brunswick, Canada. This is generally rolling, well vegetaged farm land but over the past couple of decades, has become prime recreational country. Beside the concern for enjoyment of properties, consideration must be given the lush habitat of the watersheds in general. The major environmental group in the area worked with government in order to help ensure spraying would never happen...this was information to help inform landowners and also students were hired to work with government to help with tests on a naturally occurring virus, etc. But now an increase in gypsy moth populations has caused spotty aerial spraying of Foray 48 B by a private company, hired by landowners who can well afford it at a very inexpensive cost. While I am personally against spraying, I know we will soon see problems like we encountered in New Brunswick for the massive aerial spraying for Spruce Budworm in years gone by. With West Nile Virus and pests such as the Gypsy Moth, we are at the tip of the iceburg, where we must become conscious of all ways we can make "integrated pest management" work for us as communities and where we have better local decision-making. We must make all our efforts count, we must deal with the pests and problems, and protect precious habitat, but we must also know any possible risks involved and how to deal with them....we should not and must not react in the heat of the moment! But the days ahead will be very stressful for those wishing to avoid possible problems from pesticides and now that private individuals can hire private companies, it moves our province into a whole new ball game. It is no longer government and industry we must negotiate with, but indeed our next door neighbours!


EDDIE SALINAS	Aug 26, 2003	GRIFFITH, INDIANA	WELL I'M STILL WORKING ON IT!
I JUST BOUGHT A BAG OF BIRD SEED THE OTHER DAY, AND A FEW DAYS LATER I NOTICED NOW THAT I HAVE MOTHS! IS THERE A WAY TO KILL THSE LITTLE BASTARDS? WELL I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY SOME MOTH TRAPS. BUT IS THERE A WAY TO USE A COMMON HOUSE HOLD AGENT! PLEAE E-MAIL ME BACK A.S.A.P. THANKS EDDIE


Pearssy	Oct 19, 2005	Washington	Therapist
Gypsy moths are horrible and ruining our environment! I shall make an oath to stop them! anyone with me please do your part to help stop these horrible insects and take a part in the world! photosynthesis is also something i could talk about for hours and hours on end! Thats how i met my husband bernardo. what a connection we had. he is such a great guy and to the single men out there: its a definite turn on when you talk about photosynthesis on the first date, I had to hold myself down. STOP THE MOTHS!!