Gypsy moth spraying to begin Tuesday in Tacoma

Gypsy moth spraying above the Port of Tacoma and sections of the city’s East Side begins 6 a.m. Tuesday (April 19), the state Department of Agriculture said Monday.

The spraying of Btk is to last two days. The bacterial insecticide targets caterpillars and is not toxic to humans, pets or bees, the department said.

Btk is approved for organic farming and has been used in Kent, Lacey, Gig Harbor and Vancouver, Washington. An airplane has been used to treat most sites.

The sites are being treated three times to eradicate the moth. After the Tacoma spraying, the program will spray for the moths around Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

This story was originally published April 18, 2016 at 6:07 PM with the headline "Gypsy moth spraying to begin Tuesday in Tacoma."