[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 41 (Wednesday, April 9, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E608-E609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE RETURN OF THE GYPSY MOTH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 9, 1997

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, it's spring, and that means the gypsy moths 
are back, hatching by the millions, causing severe damage to trees and 
our environment, and leaving much debris in their paths. Lucas County 
is the first urban community in our State to be affected in such a 
major way by these insects that all migrate down here from Michigan.
  We must act expeditiously, and neighborhoods must work together to 
apply safe biological controls in order to protect our trees, homes, 
businesses, yards, and parks. A local task force has been set up to 
coordinate help for our region.
  The gypsy moths will never be eliminated completely, but it can be 
controlled.
  Its life cycle has four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult moth. The 
female moth lays egg masses in July and August in clusters of up to 
1,000. While most eggs are laid on the bark of trees, females also will 
lay clusters in any sheltered location, including homes, vehicles, 
firewood, playground equipment, and stones. Egg masses are beige and 
about the size of a quarter.
  Larvae (in the form of caterpillars) emerge the following April and 
May and begin devouring leaves. The caterpillar stage lasts for 10 to 
12 weeks. Caterpillars are 1\1/2\ to 2\1/2\ inches long when full 
grown, with hairlike structures

[[Page E609]]

along their length of their body. They are grayish with five pairs of 
blue spots and six pairs of red spots along their backs. They also have 
yellow markings on their heads.
  Oak trees are the favorite food of the gypsy moths, but they also 
feed on 500 different species of trees and shrubs. And because 
northwest Ohio is known for its hardwood forests, we are the targets of 
hungry gypsy moth larvae.
  The answer is not for individuals to spray their own trees and yards 
with harmful toxic pesticides. In fact, toxics could do more harm then 
good when thousands of citizens act independently.
  Call the Lucus County Agricultural Extension Office at 245-4254 or 
the Agriculture Business Enhancement Center at 1-800-358-4678 to learn 
what you can do to control these destructive insects.
  You can help by getting your local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops or 
other community groups to collect signatures to give the State of Ohio 
permission to spray affected areas with safe biological control agents. 
This approach can save you money. If you decide to spray your property 
on your own--which can be expensive--then use only licensed, certified 
professional firms that have been trained to handle the proper control 
agents safely and responsibly.

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