B.C.’s Ministry of Forests will have a public information session on its invasive spongy moth eradication program in Cranbrook.
Residents are invited to learn more about the areal spray operations at the online open house, set for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
“To protect City parks and neighbourhood trees from the invasive spongy moth, the Ministry of Forests will be safely treating residential and municipal areas of Cranbrook later this spring,” said the City of Cranbrook.
B.C. government officials said spongy moths pose a risk to B.C.’s ecosystems and economy.
“In recent years, they have defoliated sections of forests and residential areas in Ontario and the eastern United States,” said B.C. government officials. “Untreated spongy moths risk spreading to other areas of B.C. and are a threat to urban forests and farms.”
Workers will use a biological insecticide known as Foray 48B.
“It is used in organic farming, and the active ingredient, Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki (Btk), is naturally present in urban, agricultural and forest soils throughout the province,” said the province. “It only affects the stomachs of moth and butterfly caterpillars, and is specific to their digestive systems.”
Cranbrook officials said this program is a B.C. government initiative, not the City of Cranbrook’s.
The ministry will target 299 hectares in Cranbrook, as well as areas around Kamloops, West Kelowna, Langly and Tsawwassen.
Cranbrook’s aerial spray treatment zone is the largest of the selected areas.
You can find a link to the online information session below.
More: Spongy Moth Virtual Open House (B.C. government)