ODA begins placing traps statewide for unwanted insect pests, such as gypsy moth Setting a trap for bad bugs May 16, 2001. . . From now until the middle of July, the Oregon Department of Agriculture will be placing thousands of insect traps throughout the state in the annual effort to protect against potentially devastating, exotic, plant-eating pests. The list of unsavory characters includes gypsy moth, Japanese beetle, imported fire ant, and a host of fruit moths. The traps will offer officials a readout of what, where, and how many bad bugs are within Oregon's borders.
Early detection makes for smaller, more defined eradication efforts.
That has been ODA's history, especially when dealing with the gypsy moth. That led to some very large spray programs. The Lane County spray program in the mid 1980s is legendary in terms of its size. It is still the largest spray program for gypsy moth ever conducted in the West. Back then, some 19,000 gypsy moths were trapped and more than 225,000 acres of Lane County treated.