The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) plans to treat spongy moth infestations in seven counties across the state in 2026. The affected counties are Haywood, Watauga, Stokes, Rowan, Warren, Franklin, and Currituck.
Residents living in the impacted areas received notifications by mail in February regarding the infestations and proposed treatments. Information sessions are scheduled for March within these communities to gather public comments. Management activities are expected to begin as early as April and could continue through June.
According to NCDA&CS Spongy Moth program manager Emma Schoeppner, “We have a total of nine blocks involving 28,766 acres to manage. Haywood and Stokes counties each have two blocks that will receive two treatment types. We plan to start Btk treatment during April in Currituck, Stokes, Haywood and Watauga counties. We will then start mating disruption treatment of Haywood, Stokes, Rowan, Warren and Franklin counties in early June, adding or subtracting a few days to cover possible weather delays.”
In heavily infested areas, low altitude helicopters will apply Bacillus thuringiensis kurstakii (Btk), a naturally occurring bacteria used for controlling large populations of spongy moth caterpillars. In places with smaller infestations, mating disruption will be conducted by fixed-wing aircraft dispersing SPLAT Gypsy Moth-Organic infused with spongy moth pheromone. These management tactics are designed not to harm humans, plants or pets.
The pheromone used disrupts male spongy moths’ ability to follow scent trails released by females, decreasing mating success and reducing population levels. High-density populations require Btk treatment for effective management; when caterpillars consume Btk-treated leaves on host trees it disrupts their feeding process and reduces survival rates.
Spongy moths feed on over 300 species of trees and shrubs—mainly oaks and hardwoods—which can result in defoliation of entire forests or yard trees during heavy infestations. This increases vulnerability to other pests and severe weather events; repeated defoliation often leads to tree death. The caterpillar hairs and droppings may also cause allergic reactions among people with respiratory issues when populations are high.
NCDA&CS has managed spot introductions of the spongy moth since the 1970s with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.
For information session details or treatment notifications via text or email visit https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/plant-industry/plant-protection/entomological-services/Proposed-Spongy-Moth-Management or call NCDA&CS at 800-206-9333.
The NCDA&CS works on forest management initiatives while supporting community farming practices throughout North Carolina (official website). The department operates specialized divisions such as the NC Forest Service for resource management (official website). Agriculture remains a major economic driver in North Carolina with $102 billion contributed annually (official website). In addition to pest control efforts like this one, NCDA&CS focuses on food safety standards and promoting sustainable agriculture (official website). Steve Troxler currently serves as commissioner for the department (official website).
