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Terry
Walker
Director, Plant Industry Division
Paul Shell
Plant Inspection and
Quarantine Manager
The Gypsy Moth Detection Survey Plan for Arkansas has been
developed through the joint efforts of the Arkansas State Plant
Board, the U.S. Forest Service and the USDA APHIS Plant Protection
and Quarantine. The plan follows the guidelines of the National
Gypsy Moth Survey Plan.
Arkansas’ plan has three distinct
parts. (1) The 1st part is detection traps which are
deployed all over Arkansas by our cooperating agencies, the Plant
Board, and USDA APHIS PPQ. (2) The 2nd part is delimiting
trapping in high risk areas (those areas where there were catches
the previous year). (3) The 3rd portion of the overall
plan is the delimiting trapping in the eradication zone. This method
will not be used unless we find another breeding population.
This summer’s gypsy moth plan is
always based on results from the previous year. The following is a
recap of 2005 and then the results of the 2006 trapping and
quarantine programs.
SUMMER 2005
DELIMITING TRAP RESULTS
Delimiting trapping is performed in
areas where positive catches have been made in the past. This method
is used to determine if there is a breeding population in this area,
or if the previous catch was a hitchhiker. The zone is considered
moth free when two years pass without a catch.
Traps are placed at a rate of 36/ sq.
mile centered where the positive catch occurred. Trapping was
completed at Village Creek State Park near Wynne, and continued in
Hot Springs Village from catches in 2003.
2006 DETECTION TRAPPING PROGRAM
The year-to-year gypsy moth effort is
built around our detection trapping program. We coordinate the
services of 14 cooperating agencies. They carry out a planned
network of trapping which blankets the whole state. This is the
initial and most vital defense against this pest, providing us
crucial early detection information of potential problems. We wish
to thank all of our cooperators for their hard work in placing and
picking up these traps.
These key agencies,
listed below, are responsible for deploying 2625 traps.
Arkansas Dept. Of Parks and Tourism
375
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
150
Arkansas Forestry Commission
350
Little Rock Air Force Base
50
Camp Robinson Army Base
75
Corp. of Engineers - Little Rock District
550
Corp. of Engineers - Vicksburg District
150
Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service 375
Arkansas Highway Dept.
75
Natural Resources Conservation Service
250
US Forest Service - Ouachita
100
US Forest Service - Ozark
50
National Park Service - Hot Springs
25
Buffalo National River
50
Although there were many moth
specimens submitted for identification no gypsy moths were found
through our cooperating contributors.
USDA APHIS PPQ, also did extensive
trapping in North-Central and Southeast Arkansas. Over 3,000 traps
were placed in a grid pattern approximately 2 miles apart.
2006
Delimiting Trapping
The other area of trapping is
delimiting. Delimiting traps are set in response to a catch within
the past 2 years and are deployed in such a way as to better define
the status of a potential gypsy moth population. Delimiting trapping
was completed in Hot Springs Village due to 4 moths that were
captured in 2004, and in Newton County near Dogpatch from one moth
caught in 2004. No moths were caught this year.
2006 DELIMITING
TRAPPING RESULTS
Moths/Trap
#Traps
#of Male Moths
Garland County 2003,2004
0
72
0
(2 sq. mile)
Newton
County 2004
0
36
0
(1 sq. mile)
THE 2007
DELIMITING PLAN
There are no delimiting areas for
2007 as the previous catches have turned up negative for the
previous two years.
CONCLUSION
We are proud to announce that no
moths were caught in 2006. This is the second year in a row that no
moths have been caught. This is very encouraging and points out that
everyone’s hard work has been worth it. It is, however, no reason to
let our guard down. Detection surveys will continue with the able
assistance of our cooperating agencies, and USDA.
Last year, in another part of the
country, some of the lure which attracts the male moths into the
traps was found to be ineffective. A small percentage of the lures
used in our trapping program could have also been outdated. Whether
or not moths were missed because of ineffective lure can never be
known with any certainty. This points out how crucial trapping will
become in the coming years, in case any moths were missed in the
past. Extra steps are now taken to ensure that the lures are fresh
and have active female moth pheromone odors to attract any male
moths within a one mile radius of the trap.
The states closer to the gypsy moth
infestations are continuing their work in slowing the spread of this
invader. Also, there are some pathogens which are impacting the
populations of gypsy moths in infested areas. Perhaps this potential
threat will never reach us. Extensive trapping is the best way to
monitor the population and determine if other action needs to be
taken.
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