GAINES TOWNSHIP - Rather than survey gypsy moths this fall, the initial step required to potentially spray for the insects in the springtime, officials in Gaines Township have elected to set aside a small amount of funds for communication and education efforts, as well as for burlap tree bands that will be made available to residents.
Heeding advice from Rebecca Finneran, a horticultural expert with the Michigan State University Extension program in Grand Rapids who said a natural pathogen would likely take care of the gypsy moth problem over the next couple years, the Township Board opted to devote $5,000 to educational outreach and the tree bands at a meeting on Aug. 13.
Aside from Finneran's prognostications, Township Supervisor Robert DeWard said township officials did a fair amount of additional research on the problem. Bringing in a representative last month from Aquatic Consultants -- the firm that has been performing gypsy moth surveys for a number of West Michigan communities in recent years -- was part of that research.
"We had a consultant come in and we did do a little bit of additional research," DeWard said. "We kind of determined that we could hire the consultant, we could budget for spraying in the spring of 2019, or we could take the natural approach and probably enhance that with purchasing the tree bands ... setting aside $4,000 or so and making them available to the residents that want to use the bands on the trees."
DeWard said unless things really got out of hand, he was more inclined to let nature run its course -- that is, to bank on the natural pathogen known as Entomophaga maimaiga, the fungus that infects and kills gypsy moth caterpillars, to do its job.
Finneran, in an article published on the MSU Extension website in June, said there was ample moisture to fuel the fungus' development this past spring, something that had been lacking in each of the two previous years and a likely reason why gypsy moth populations have seen growth over that same time period.
Having opted to approach the problem with a more natural solution, the township's educational outreach efforts will include utilizing information that has been gathered to create an "infestation district" and mailing residents information regarding how to identify gypsy moth eggs and how to destroy them.
Providing information on the ways tree bands can be used to effectively curtail gypsy moth infestations, and providing the bands themselves for free, also will be part of those efforts.
"Arming residents with the burlap wraps will let our residents know we are invested in fighting this battle," DeWard said.
Though the township has elected to go the non-chemical, natural route in taking care of the gypsy moth infestation, Township Treasurer Laurie Lemke made sure to point out that residents would always have the option of spraying their own property for the insects.
"I did talk to some of the homeowners who were affected by the gypsy moths, and one homeowner paid $600 to have his property sprayed," Lemke said. "He had trees that were in jeopardy, so it is a big concern.
"I did tell those homeowners if the township does spray, they would end up paying for it (through an assessment)," she said. "So this is a good place to start and that is always an option if they don't like what we're offering to spray their own property."