WEST BEND - 
Small airplanes will be swooping low over the city of West Bend this spring.

For the first time since 2004, the city plans aerial spraying of an insecticide to fight gypsy moth infestations.

"There are two areas that will be sprayed," said Mike Gentsch, park and forestry superintendent with the West Bend Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department.

— 94 acres at the northwest corner of West Washington Street and North 18th Avenue;

— 45 acres on the hill at the northwest corner of West Decorah Road and South Seventh Avenue.

The two "spray blocks," as the targeted areas are called, were selected at the request of residents there, Gentsch said, followed by surveys by city staff last fall to evaluate the number of egg masses found in those areas.

Based on state-mandated standards, "those egg masses will determine where those spray blocks will be," Gentsch said.

Once again, the insecticide that will be used is Btk, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki.

If you have any questions call 335-5080.

For full story, go to the electronic version of The Daily News. Click here to access the electronic version.   

For more information on gypsy moths:

1-800-642-MOTH

Wisconsin Gypsy Moth on the Web:

http://gypsymoth.wi.gov

University of Wisconsin Extension and DNR Web site:

http://www1.uwex.edu/ces/gypsymoth/index.cfm

USDA Gypsy Moth Handbook:

http://www.fs.fed.us/na/morgantown/fhp/gm/gmhb.htm