2 counties to be sprayed for gypsy moth

SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Department of Agriculture will be spraying over 21,000 acres of northern Illinois to prevent Gypsy Moth reproduction.

Beginning Thursday, the department will spray parts of LaSalle and Ogle counties, including two state parks, with SPLAT, a new product that has the consistency of hand cream.

Bureau chief of Environmental Programs Warren Goetsch says SPLAT contains gypsy moth sex pheromone to throw off the mating. Less mating means less larvae that damage tree leaves.

The treatment also contains water, wax and vegetable oils.

The SPLAT treatments are safe for humans, with all the ingredients being listed as nontoxic.