| NEPYTIA JANETAE POST-SUPPRESSION SHOWS FURTHER POPULATION DECLINE | ||
| Alamogordo, NM (March 3, 2008) – Entomologists with the New Mexico Forest Health Zone returned to the Sacramento Mountains in late February 2008, and conducted a second post-suppression evaluation for Nepytia janetae Winter Defoliator Spray Project. The evaluation occurred at five sites within the spray block aerially treated on November 5-6, 2007. On September 5, 2007, the Lincoln National Forest Supervisor signed a decision notice for a spray project to help control Nepytia janetae, a native caterpillar that feeds on the needles of conifer trees. The decision authorized treatment of about 4,419 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands in the vicinity of the Village of Cloudcroft (VoC) with two aerial applications of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk), one during the fall of 2007 and a follow-up treatment in spring of 2008, if necessary. The fall tTreatment occurred first on Otero County and Village of Cloudcroft lands, then on National Forest System lands November 5-6, 2007. The spray project was designed to minimize further spread onto private lands in and around the village and to minimize additional defoliation and tree mortality on forest lands within and adjacent to developed campgrounds. The follow-up visit was scheduled to provide Lincoln National Forest specialists information on whether a second aerial application of Btk in March 2008 would be necessary to further suppress the Nepytia janetae outbreak. The first post-suppression evaluation was completed on November 20, 2007 and, which revealed a decline in Nepytia janetae larval numbers in three out of five sites sampled. The most recent sampling reveals a further decline inin the November post-spray levels, probably from natural factors, and all sites sampled within the spray block are now exhibiting nearly undetectable population levels. These results ledad us to believe that the outbreak has subsided and the population is now at a level below that which would produce observable defoliation. The method used was taking a lower crown branch clipping and beating the branch, which was the same sampling method used in October and November 2007. These results lead us to believe that the outbreak has subsided and the population is now at a level below that which would produce observable defoliation. The population reduction, which has taken place since the 14-day post-suppression sampling, appears to be the result of natural population regulating mechanisms. Some reddened crowns observed on the ridges to the south of the Sleepygrass picnic area were determined to be damage that most likely occurred from Nepytia janetae feeding , which took place in September or October, prior to the aerial spraying. After evaluating the population within the sprayed area, Following the within-block sampling, the entomologists drove along New Mexico Highway 6563 where no spraying took place south of the treatment area and looked for signs of new crown discoloration. The specialists paid particular attention to the Sunspot area, which previously had sustained heavy damage, and saw no indication of recent fall or winter feeding activity by Nepytia janetae. A large number of the damaged trees have begun to refoliate. Based on these most recent results provided by New Mexico Forest Health Zone entomologists, the Lincoln National Forest Supervisor has made a decision to take no further suppression action. The Forest will be completing an Environmental Assessment during the spring of 2008, on dead tree salvage, fuels reduction, and reforestation of approximately 6,200200 acres of National Forest System lands impacted by the defoliation. For more information on the Lincoln National Forest, please visit our website at www.fs.fed.us/r3/lincoln. |
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