The Illinois Department of Agriculture will apply an aerial gypsy moth treatment late in the morning in the Elgin area Monday, June 26 .
The gypsy moth is a leaf-eating insect that in large population has the ability to strip trees and shrubs bare. The gypsy moth has been in the eastern portion of the United States since the late 1800s and has migrated west. In 2000, Lake County Illinois was quarantined which required al nurseries and nursery dealers to treat their property and stock.
Treatment for the gypsy moth requires the spraying of Btk, a bacterium found naturally in soil, but formulated as an insecticide. Btk is not toxic to people and is applied by spraying trees and shrubs by airplane, helicopter or ground equipment.
For more information, contact Dan Larsen, city forester, at (847) 931-6131.