Save Our Ohio Butterflies: Stop BtK in Wayne National Forest

More information on Btk and its impact in Wayne National Forest….

The issue of BtK insecticide being used to control Gypsy Moths in Ohio continues.

The location now at risk is Wayne National Forest located in the Appalachian foothills of Eastern Ohio. This forest is in three fragmented areas with a total of 833,990 acres. The tagline for Wayne National Forest is “The Essence of Nature”. The butterfly check list on the forest web site is amazing with such a large variety of species. This forest is known for its the natural beauty of wildflowers, rocks formations, trees, butterflies, and abundant wildlife. See the attached pdf Butterfly Check List; there are nine sensitive species noted.

If BtK is sprayed in Wayne National Forest all the butterfly caterpillars that eat the sprayed leaves will be affected. This will result in catastrophic death of caterpillars of favored species in order to kill the Gypsy moth. This spring is the target date for spraying. The loss of caterpillars will also negatively impact the bird population.

Your continued support to stop the use of BtK is needed. The Sierra Club of Ohio received the garden club endorsed petition, and they are now providing an online one. The web link below explains that every caterpillar, no matter the species, will be wiped out by contact with the poison. The Sierra Club is also requesting the use of Gypcheck or Pheromone Flakes to control the Gypsy moth as the garden club petition did.

Please share this link with one and all, as our butterfly population is already in decline and we can’t risk the loss of any more. In nature, Spring should be a time of birth, not death.

This link will take you to the petition.