The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is placing over 2,800 gypsy moth traps Cook and Lake counties, including the areas of Grand Marais and Grand Portage where high concentrations of the destructive moth were found last summer.
Gypsy moth caterpillars can defoliate large sections of forest, with oak, poplar, birch, and willow among their preferred hosts. Ranked among America’s most damaging tree pests, the gypsy moth is not native to North America and has no effective natural controls.

The traps are used as a monitoring tool, not as a control method. All traps placed will be removed from the field by early October. The traps do not contain any chemicals or pesticides harmful to humans or pets. Last year, MDA treated several isolated gypsy moth infestations in Cook County and results of this season’s trapping efforts will be evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the treatment.

For more details about the trapping program and gypsy moths, visit the MDA website at www.mda.state.mn.us.