Detailed history of spongy moth treatments in B.C.

Last updated on June 26, 2024

Usually, spongy moths (Lymantria dispar; formerly referred to as gypsy moth) detected in B.C. do not survive and establish a population. However, in rare circumstances, treatments are required to prevent moths from establishing permanently. The first spray treatments in B.C. happened in 1979.

See a more detailed treatment history (PDF, 225KB)

Spray history
Year	Location	Treatment details
2023	Campbell River (303 ha) Courtenay (331 ha) Courtenay-Dove Creek (652 ha) Port Alberni (763 ha) Victoria-Belmont (341 ha) Victoria-Esquimalt (267 ha) Victoria-View Royal (381 ha)	Aerial Spray - Campbell River Aerial Spray - Courtenay Aerial Spray - Dove Creek Aerial Spray - Port Alberni Aerial Spray - Belmont Aerial Spray - Esquimalt Aerial Spray - View Royal
2022	Burnaby (193) Chilliwack (49 ha) Coquitlam (41 ha) Cowichan (402 ha) Langley (362 ha) Mission (341 ha) Nanoose Bay (1,068 ha) Surrey (108 ha) Victoria-View Royal (50 ha)	Aerial Spray - Burnaby Aerial Spray - Chilliwack Ground Spray - Coquitlam Aerial Spray - Cowichan Aerial Spray - Langley Aerial Spray - Mission Aerial Spray - Nanoose Aerial Spray - Surrey Aerial Spray - View Royal
2021	Courtenay (187 ha)	Aerial Spray - Courtenay
2020	North Surrey (241 ha) Cowichan Lake (231 ha) Castlegar (167 ha)	Aerial Spray - North Surrey Aerial Spray - Cowichan Aerial Spray - Pass Creek
2019	North Surrey (62.2 ha)	Aerial Spray - North Surrey
2018	Courtenay (94 ha) Agassiz (41 ha) Campbell River (45 ha) North Surrey (62 ha)	Aerial Spray - Courtenay Ground Spray - Agassiz Ground Spray - Campbell River Ground Spray - North Surrey
2017	Bear Hill (Saanich) 182 ha N. Surrey (Guildford) 26 ha	Aerial Spray - Saanich Ground Spray - N. Surrey
2016	-	No Treatment
2015	Surrey - 4576, 26 ha Delta - 204 ha	Aerial Spray - Surrey Aerial Spray - Delta Ground Spray - Surrey
2014	-	No Treatment
2013	-	No Treatment
2012	-	No Treatment
2011	-	No Treatment
2010	Harrison - 25 ha Richmond - 766 ha	Ground Spray – Harrison map Aerial Spray – Richmond map
2009	Harrison - 329 ha	Aerial Spray– Harrison map
2008	Salt Spring Is. - 7.4 ha Saltair - 13.3 ha Lake Cowichan	Ground Spray – Salt Spring Is. map Ground Spray – Saltair map Mass Trapping – Lake Cowichan map Mass Trapping – Salt Spring map Mass Trapping – Saltair map
2007	Courtenay - 210 ha Salt Spring Is. - 10 ha Saanich (Cedar Hill) - 14 ha Belmont Park (Colwood) - 18 ha Sidney	Aerial Spray – Courtenay map Ground Spray – Salt Spring Is. map Ground Spray – Saanich map Ground Spray- Belmont Park map Mass Trapping – Salt Spring Is. map Mass Trapping – Sidney map Mass Trapping – Saanich map Mass Trapping – Belmont Park map
2006	Nanaimo - 10 ha Salt Spring Is. - 43 ha Saanich (Cedar Hill) - 9 ha	Ground Spray – Nanaimo map Ground Spray – Salt Spring Is. map Ground Spray –Saanich
2005	Duncan, Gabriola Is., Saanich, Langley	Gabriola Mass Trapping Duncan Mass Trapping Saanich Mass trapping Langley (no map)
2004	Saanich (Mt. Douglas Park) - 570 ha N. Delta - 23 ha Abbotsford, Duncan, Gabriola Is.	Saanich - aerial spray N. Delta - aerial spray Gabriola Mass Trapping Abbotsford Mass Trapping (no map) Duncan Mass Trapping (see 2005)
2003	N. Delta Saanich	Mass Trapping – N. Delta Mass Trapping – Saanich
2002	N. Delta	Mass Trapping
2001	N. Delta - 34 ha Sechelt	Ground Spray Mass Trapping - Sechelt
2000	Burnaby - 279.5 ha Sechelt	Aerial Spray Mass Trapping – Sechelt
1999	Victoria, Colwood, Esquimalt - 12,203 ha Duncan - 429 ha Nanaimo - 164 ha Brentwood Bay - 602 ha Tsawwassen - 51 ha	Aerial Spray Maps for: Victoria area Duncan Nanaimo Brentwood Bay Tsawwassen Mass Trapping - Fairfield
1998	Victoria, Colwood, Esquimalt	Mass Trapping, Ground Spray
1997	New Westminster Victoria, Colwood, Esquimalt	Host Removal, Ground Spray Mass Trapping
1996	Hope	Ground Spray (no map)
1995	Chilliwack	Aerial & Ground Spray
1994	Victoria (Maplewood) Nanaimo (Beban Park) S. Vancouver Whisky Cr Hope Hope - Kawakawa Lake	Aerial Spray - Victoria map Aerial Spray – Nanaimo map Ground Spray Aerial Spray Aerial Spray Aerial Spray
1993	Richmond Burnaby Salt Spring Is Victoria Hope	Aerial Spray – Richmond map Aerial Spray Ground Spray Aerial Spray Aerial Spray
1992	Parksville (south) Belmont Park (Colwood) Vancouver (Asian Gypsy Moth)	Ground Spray Aerial Spray Aerial Spray and Ground Spray
1991	North Saanich	Aerial & Ground Spray
1990	Parksville (North)	Aerial & Ground Spray
1989	Kelowna	Mass Trapping
1988	Kelowna Parksville (North) Colwood	Aerial and Ground Spray Ground Spray Aerial and Ground Spray
1987	CFB Chilliwack	Aerial Spray
1986	CFB Chilliwack	Ground Spray
1985	Courtenay CFB Chilliwack	Ground Spray Ground Spray
1984	Ft. Langley Courtenay	Ground Spray Ground Spray
1983	-	No treatment
1982	-	No treatment
1981	-	No treatment
1980	-	No treatment
1979	Kitsilano*	Ground Spray - operational trial of Safer's Insecticidal Soap and Carbaryl. See Puritch, G.S.; Brooks, B.C. 1981. Effects of insecticidal soap used in the gypsy moth control program in Kitsilano on insects and vegetation. Environment Canada, Canadian Forestry Service, Pacific Forest Research Centre, Victoria, BC. Information Report BC-X-218. 22 p.

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Detailed history of spongy moth treatments in B.C.

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Treatment details