The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is seeking public comments about planned treatment of the destructive gypsy moth in Dare County.
The meeting will be in Buxton on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Fessenden Center, 46830 N.C. 12.
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A 750-acre site on the west side of Buxton was treated in the spring of 2016, leading to a reduction of gypsy moths. However, according to state officials, moths remain at the site, which includes Buxton Woods, a maritime forest, and 200 homes.
The proposed treatment to eliminate the moths includes three applications of Gypcheck, a moth-specific incesticide.
Caterpillars of the gypsy moth, an invasive species, can strip entire trees of their foliage and infest homes as they feed in the early spring. In addition, some people are allergic to tiny hairs on the bodies of the caterpillars.
The department has been working to eliminate the moths since the 1970s and has partnered with nine other states and the Gypsy Moth Slow the Spread Foundation.
