Madison Park

It sounds as if the first poster has some very valid reasons for concern.  I have looked into this issue somewhat and have some information I'd like to share if you would like to contact me at anadvocate2004@gmail.com

 Hopefully those who can and should be taking more preventative measures will do so more diligently in the future and this practice will not become the easy way out, the abortion to birth control.  There are programs in place to alleviate some of the cost of banding as has been mentioned here and in other forums.  The money being spent on the spray program could certainly be well spent in other needed programs.

I have spoken to many people who have very real concerns about pesticides and others who really think it is perfectly safe.  Time will tell.

Local news reports this evening that the spraying will begin on 4/11/08. 

Aerial Spraying

The tentative start date for the aerial spraying is Monday, April 7, 2008. The spraying should take approximately four days. During this time, low flying planes will be applying the Foray 48B during the early morning hours. The actual dates are dependent on weather conditions, the hatching of the cankerworms and foliage growth on the trees. The City will notify the public of the exact dates as soon as they are determined. 

• Proposed 2008 Cankerworm Spray Area Map (PDF)

For automatic notification of cankerworm updates, sign up for the Notify Me service on our website.

Updated information will also be provided to 311.

Questions and Answers about Aerial Spraying  |  Download (PDF)

• Why is the City conducting an aerial spraying? Charlotte has been experiencing infestations of the fall cankerworm for the last 20 years. By eating the leaves off of large, old trees in the spring, the cankerworm weakens the trees and causes them to die. We have been able to help slow them down with our banding programs. However, their numbers and the size of the affected area have increased to the point many of our trees are at risk.
• When will the spraying occur? The aerial spray will take place between late March and early April depending on weather and the emergence of the caterpillars.
• What material will be sprayed?  The product we will be using is Foray 48B. This is not a chemical insecticide. It contains Bacillus thuringiensis which is commonly referred to as Bt. Bt is a naturally occurring organism that is already present in our environment.
• What are the effects of Bt on the environment? The variety of Bt we will be using only affects caterpillars that are actually feeding at the time of the spray. The caterpillars must ingest the substance for it to be effective. Once ingested, the Bt reacts with the alkaline digestive tract found in caterpillars. It doesn't harm other insects such as bees, flies and beetles. Because mammals have different digestive system conditions, the Bt will not have the same affect on wildlife, birds, household pets and humans. Sunlight quickly deteriorates Bt until it is gone within 48 to 72 hours of the spray.
• How will citizens be notified of the spraying dates? The City will work with the local media to notify citizens of the parts of Charlotte that will be sprayed and when. Updates will also be posted on our website, cankerworm.charmeck.org, and residents can get up-to-date spraying information by calling 311.
• How safe is it to fly low over the city? The FAA will have to approve the qualifications and congested area plans for the aircraft that will be used over Charlotte. Many cities and towns throughout the United States are sprayed by low-flying aircraft every year.
• Has Bt been sprayed in Charlotte before? The City has sprayed for fall cankerworm in 1992 and 1998.
• Has Bt been sprayed over populated areas before? Bt has been sprayed annually in North Carolina for the control of gypsy moths. Areas in and around Hendersonville and Morganton were sprayed for the moths last year at a much higher rate than we will use in Charlotte, with no detrimental effects.
• Have there been any problems with spraying over populated areas? Bt has been used for decades over cities and towns throughout the United States and Canada. There have been no reports of any adverse effects of these sprays.
• Will the spray aircraft and materials be protected from potential terrorists? The contractor that is awarded the bid will be held responsible for securing their aircraft and equipment. The City will be inspecting these locations for compliance.
• Will the spray affect my children? There have been no known affects of the aerial spraying of Bt around children.
• Should I bring my children inside during the spray? You are welcome to do that, but it is not necessary. If you are concerned, stay indoors. 
• Will the spray affect my pets? There have been no known affects of the aerial spraying of Bt around animals or fish.
• Should I bring my pets inside during the spray? You are welcome to do that, but it is not necessary. If you are concerned, stay indoors.
• Will the spray affect my car's paint? Over the many years of use of Bt in aerial spraying, there have been no documented cases of harm to automotive paints.
• Should I wash my car after the spray? The carrier for Bt is similar to tree sap. The sooner you wash your car after the aerial spray, the easier it will be to get off of the paint. In response to requests to clean off residue from the cankerworm spraying program, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities will temporarily suspend the water use restriction on residential car-washing for seven days following the spraying.
• Should I wash my outdoor equipment and furniture after the spray? Because the carrier for Bt is similar to tree sap, the sooner you wash it off surfaces, the easier it will be to remove. If you are concerned about the substance getting on outdoor equipment and furniture, you can cover the items during the spray. To rinse items after the spraying, simply use soap and water.  The rinsing of pavement and equipment is not restricted and does not require special consideration from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities. Of course, all efforts to conserve water are urged and appreciated during the ongoing drought conditions. 
• Will the entire city be sprayed? The treatment area covers almost 70,000 acres or 40% of Charlotte. There are some exclusion areas within this zone, such as the interstates, heavy industrial areas and uptown Charlotte, that are not necessary to spray since they have fewer trees. For a copy of a map of the spray area, see our website at cankerworm.charmeck.org.
• Why are only certain neighborhoods sprayed? The City has been monitoring the cankerworm populations every winter for the last 15 years. We use this information to predict heavy defoliation the following spring. We also use this information coupled with aerial surveys of damage to determine the neighborhoods where aerial sprays need to be applied. Your neighborhood has not shown high enough readings to warrant an aerial spray. We will continue to monitor the populations in the future. If your neighborhood becomes heavily infested, it will be scheduled for programs by the City to help control this destructive insect.
• If the City is not spraying certain areas within the infested areas, won't that cause the fall cankerworm to re-infest our neighborhoods? Certain urban areas that have very few trees are being excluded from the spray. This saves the cost of aerial spraying in places where the cankerworm is minimal. The exclusion areas will not provide a place for cankerworms to re-infest surrounding neighborhoods.