Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Minnesota Department of Agriculture proposes pheromone aerial treatments to slow spongy moth advance into Rochester
Summary
State officials told the Rochester City Council they plan targeted mating-disruption aircraft applications in late June–early July across three polygons in the Rochester area to suppress early spongy moth populations; staff said residents in affected blocks will receive postcards and a week’s notice before operations.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture told the Rochester City Council on March 9 that it will propose mating-disruption treatments over three canopy polygons in Rochester in late June or early July to slow the westward advance of spongy moth, an invasive caterpillar that defoliates more than 300 tree species.
Kimberly Keeling Kramer, a manager at the Department of Agriculture, said the department uses a species-specific synthetic pheromone product (SPLAT, described as EPA‑certified and biodegradable) that disrupts male moths’ ability to find females and thus reduces reproduction. She said the approach targets adult moths during a narrow mating period and is intended only for very low‑threshold, early detections.
“We flood the area with very small droplets so the male moths emerge and simply can’t find a…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
