Though it may be late May or early June before Garrett and Allegany County are reached, the Maryland Department of Agriculture plans to begin its aerial spray program for gypsy moths Monday.

“The gypsy moth is by far the most destructive pest of forest and shade trees in Maryland,” Roger Richardson, secretary of agriculture, said. “Through a combination of weather and an unpredicted rebound of gypsy moth populations, Maryland is seeing the highest levels of infestation since 1995.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley signed Senate Bill 920 Thursday, which establishes a Task Force to Study Statewide Gypsy Moth Investigation to report its findings and recommendations to the governor and General Assembly by Aug. 31, 2009. O’Malley’s budget provides approximately $4.1 million, including local and federal contributions, to cover this year’s gypsy moth suppression program.

“Maryland’s important hardwood forests and neighborhood trees are threatened by an ongoing and fluctuating infestation of gypsy moths which is often difficult to manage from a programmatic standpoint,” O’Malley said at the bill signing. “We are pleased to provide the additional funding necessary to meet this year’s statewide need and with the bill signed today, we will take a comprehensive look at the most effective long-term means of combating the statewide infestation of gypsy moths. We also greatly appreciate the contributions of our local and federal partners to this effort.”

Spraying is scheduled to begin Monday in Worcester and Talbot counties and move west. According to a presentation made to the Garrett County commissioners by Willie Lantz, Maryland Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources educator, it could be late May before the spraying reaches Garrett County.

The gypsy moth caterpillars eat the leaves of oaks and other hardwoods from late April through June and appear after there have been enough consecutive days of warm weather. Heavy populations of caterpillars will eat most or all leaves on a tree, potentially killing it.

The first defoliation in Maryland was in 1980, and since then, gypsy moth caterpillars have defoliated 1 million acres of timber and residential trees in the state.

The state spraying in Allegany and Garrett counties will total 44,389 acres.