Committee OKs treatment of Woods Road area
By:Rebecca Weltmann
In order to suppress the leaf-eating gypsy moths in wooded areas around the township, the Township Committee announced at its regular meeting on Jan. 23 that it approved the allocation of $8,640 for the double treatment of a 108-acre area on Woods Road.
The treatment will use the biological agent Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which is not toxic to mammals, fish or to nontarget insects. It has been used to effectively control gypsy moths for more than 20 years and is widely endorsed by environmental groups.
"Woods Road was aptly named, and the oak trees are like candy to gypsy moths," said Glen Belnay, township health officer. "This kind of treatment is expensive, but it is necessary to preserve the oak trees."
The biological agent attaches itself to the foliage on which the caterpillars feast. When ingested, the bacterium will cause a paralysis to the insects’ stomachs, thus ceasing their digestive systems and within five to seven days will cause death. The carcasses, Dr. Belnay added, will make a tasty treat for the birds.
The treatment, which is both weather and insect-development dependent, would occur via helicopter sometime in early May. A survey was conducted in September 2006 and identified the area on Woods Road that exceeded the 500 egg-mass per acre requirement for treatment. This survey came after residents notified the health department of severe defoliation of oak trees due to gypsy moths.
In 2005, gypsy moths damaged approximately 44,000 acres of trees in New Jersey. The suppression different from eradication would be most effectively done in the spring when the moths are still in their larvae stage.
Over the past 25 years, Hillsborough has participated in the New Jersey Gypsy Moth Suppression Program. Every year, the NJ Department of Agriculture has performed a voluntary egg-mass survey throughout the township in order to protect the foliage of Hillsborough, particularly in the Sourland Mountain Range.
The last time Hillsborough was treated was in the late 1980s in the David Lane Area of the Sourland Mountain.
Since then, the caterpillars have not been as big of a problem. This year, though, the egg survey warranted a treatment, which will cost approximately $40 an acre. If successful, the area shouldn’t need another treatment for several years, if at all. Dr. Belnay said he is hopeful that they will have a good caterpillar kill-rate and will not have to treat the area again.
The treatment will also be done twice for the best results, with the second treatment done at least five days after the first.
"There’s a lot of very specific rules about temperature and wind speed velocity," Dr. Belnay added. "It’s a very tightly regulated program and we’re going to follow all the guidelines as perfectly as we can. Our residents will be well-protected and hopefully we’ll have a good kill-rate."
Hillsborough signed an agreement with Downstown Aero Crop Service to perform the actual spraying. It will be done early in the morning and all residents in the treatment zone will be notified ahead of time by letter as to the procedures associated with the treatment.
Because the treatment will be done so early in the morning, Dr. Belnay said residents don’t have to worry too much about preparing for the event. While the treatment is going on, residents should try to stay indoors. If they must leave their houses, they should do so with an umbrella or something to cover their heads.