The St. Clair County Board of Commissioners recently took the initial steps toward a Gypsy Moth Suppression Program in collaboration with Michigan State University Extension and the Friends of the St. Clair River.
The purpose is to provide educational information, reduce population to a tolerable level and prevent defoliation of trees. The Board approved a contract with Friends of the St. Clair River to conduct fall surveillance monitoring in the county to determine the prevalence and density of egg masses.
Friends of the St. Clair River will be fielding calls and inquiries from citizens affected by gypsy moths or caterpillars over the past year.
The surveillance monitoring being conducted this fall will assist the county in forecasting the gypsy moth population in 2022, as well as any potential treatment zones. Any resident that had an issue with gypsy moths over the past year is strongly encouraged to complete an online survey. The survey can be found at http://www.stclaircounty.org/Caterpillars/CaterpillarsSurvey.aspx. Those without access to the web survey, can call Friends of the St. Clair River at 810-294-4965 to report the issues with gypsy moth on your property. Citizens are the first line of defense and our most valuable resource in combating this invasive species.
—Lydia Kern
Administrative Assistant
County of St. Clair
Port Huron
