WYOMING, Mich — Keep an eye out for low-flying helicopters around the City of Wyoming Wednesday morning as they spray for spongy moths at about a dozen locations around the city.
The spongy moth is an invasive species of moth from Europe and Asia that likes to live in oak and aspen trees.
The species has been established in Michigan for about 40 years but is still considered an invasive species by the state.
The City of Wyoming is using low-flying helicopters Wednesday morning to spray spongy moth insecticide at predetermined locations. The spraying began at about 6 a.m. and takes about four to six hours to complete.
The insecticide used is Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a naturally occurring bacteria that is considered safe for humans but deadly to caterpillars, moths and butterflies. Bt only will affect the insects when they are actively feeding and it will take about five to seven days to kill them.
If you own a property that is in a treatment area, a fee will be added to your 2023 summer property tax bill:
- $28 for small parcels or treatment areas equal to or less than .5 acres
- $83 per treated acre for parcels with treatment areas larger than .5 acres
Learn more about spongy moths and the spraying program here.
You can find a list of the spray locations in the city here:
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