Oregon set to spray 8,000 acres

[bobm]

"The Columbian " Dec. 27, 015... The State of Oregon is set to spray 8,000 acres over the Portland Or. area to kill the Asian gypsy moth - an invader that hitch hiked here from Asia to Portland's Sea Port. It destroys forest trees and is threatening the logging and Christmas tree industries and other agricultural products. The State of Washington is also considering spraying 10,500 acres across seven sites in Western Washington including Kent, Tacoma, Vancouver and Seattle . The kicker is that in 2,000 A passionate citizen group sued Washington in King County Superior Court to stop the ariel insecticide spraying and lost that case. So get ready for more protests and law suits. Oh yea, what is the dangerous pesticide that will do great harm to the environment you ask ??? It's the biological insecticide bacilllus thuringiensis kurstaki commonly known as Btk, a bacterium that naturally occurs in our soils. It is safe to use and is widely used , safe and effective, and has been aproved for use in organic farming.

 

[Smart Red]

We are sprayed yearly for Gypsy Moth here in south-est, central-est Wisconsin. Bt something or other with an additive that causes it to cling to the leaves at the tops of the trees. I have seen a decrease in all butterflies since the spraying, but don't know if there is a cause/effect relationship. It is only a one day and most butterfly babes don't eat the tree tops.