New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher announced last week that gypsy moth caterpillars damaged 1,317 acres of trees in 68 municipalities in 17 counties this spring, and that more than half the damage was heavy.
“While the gypsy moth population has remained relatively low, they are still a significant threat to trees and given the right conditions, could have a resurgence,” Fisher said. “We need to remain vigilant in our surveillance and suppression efforts to protect these natural resources.”
According to a press release, the department’s annual aerial defoliation survey showed that spray efforts in the Camden County towns of Waterford and Winslow townships were successful, with no trees defoliated in Waterford and 5 acres of trees with leaf loss in Winslow. The aerial spray program in May comprised 274 acres in the two municipalities.
Ocean County had the most acres damaged by gypsy moths, with 228 acres of mostly moderate damage in Barnegat, Berkley, Jackson and Stafford townships.
Burlington County had the second highest amount of damage with 176 acres in Eastampton, Evesham, Moorestown, Pemberton and Southampton townships and Wrightstown Borough.
Middlesex County had the highest amount of severe damage with 117 acres in Bridgewater, Old Bridge and Piscataway townships.
The departments of Agriculture and Environmental Protection collaborate on gypsy moth suppression in New Jersey, with the Department of Agriculture handling wooded residential areas and the Department of Environmental Protection handling state-forested lands.
“We strongly support continued efforts to battle gypsy moths to ensure the health of our forests,” said State Forester Lynn Fleming. “A healthy forest provides many environmental and recreational benefits, and a strong forest is better able to ward off other pest invaders and better withstand potential forest fires.”
Last year, gypsy moth caterpillars damaged 3,813 acres of trees, while 91,890 acres were defoliated in 2009, according to the press release.
The gypsy moth population reached its peak in 2008 with 339,240 acres defoliated before the population began to decrease in 2009 through a combination of regular lifecycle drop-off, beneficial fungus activity and natural predator increases in combination with the department’s aggressive spray program.
The Department of Agriculture will continue to closely monitor, survey and recommend treatments, where necessary, to control the spread of the gypsy moth in the future . The department’s gypsy moth suppression efforts are aimed at preventing the loss of trees and protecting urban and rural forests, which are important wildlife habitats as well as filters for the air people breathe. Since 2006, repeated defoliations by gypsy moth caterpillars led to the death of more than 30,000 acres of trees throughout the state, according to the press release.