Fleeing a research facility roughly 150 years ago, they first feasted on New England’s forests before blazing a destructive trail westward and southward. Their hunger apparently knows no bounds.
Sounds like an eco-disaster movie poster, right? Well, this story is the real deal and, instead of coming to a theater near you, this menace could be chewing up your own backyard.
Introducing…the gypsy moth.
Environmental threat
The government knows all about it…and they want you and national moving companies such as Affordable Moving Service & Storage to help. By the way: It’s the law. These pests represent such an environmental threat that the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires individuals living in an infested area to inspect and, if necessary, remove gypsy-moth eggs from their household items before moving out of state to a non-infested location. An official inspection certificate also must be completed and submitted to the USDA.
Capable of killing 300-plus tree species via their voracious appetite for leaves, the chomping culprits are the caterpillars—not the full-grown moths—and these pests have defoliated more than 75 million U.S. acres since 1970.
As an affordable mover in Florida dedicated to ensuring your move is the best it can be, we at Affordable Moving Service & Storage want you to know the facts about the gypsy moth so these pests don’t upset your move.
If you’re planning an interstate move or full-fledged cross-country move and relocating from any area within the following states, you’ll need to conduct a gypsy-moth inspection:
· New Hampshire
· Vermont
· Massachusetts
· Rhode Island
· Connecticut
· New York
· New Jersey
· Pennsylvania
· Maryland
· Delaware
· Michigan
Other impacted regions are Washington D. C. and portions of Maine, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Plan of attack
USDA permits two eradication routes: Conduct your own inspection using the government’s self-inspection checklist or hire a certified pesticide applicator.
Doing the job yourself? Experts say to check for gypsy-moth egg masses on the surfaces and crevices of all outdoor household items, including mailboxes, bird feeders, grills, lawn equipment, bicycles, ladders, water hoses, patio furniture, toys and trailers. If found, egg masses must be removed, then destroyed. First, scrape them off with a tool such as a putty knife or stiff brush. Then destroy egg masses (and other life stages, such as larvae) by placing them in a container of hot, soapy water or sealing them in a plastic bag and placing in sunlight.
USDA officials advise marking off each task on the checklist as it’s completed. If you’re hiring a third-party pesticide applicator, make sure he provides you with a completed and signed checklist.
Moving day
Government officials say those moving between April and August should conduct the inspection on moving day (female moths lay eggs and caterpillars spread during spring and summer). If that’s impossible, items must be protected from possible infestation via temporary storage either by sealing them under a tarp, moving them indoors or stowing them in a closed moving truck.
It’s important to give your professional movers a copy of the completed checklist since a USDA or state official could request to view it at any point during an interstate move. In fact, USDA officials recommend keeping the checklist for at least five years after your cross country move is completed.
Seeking an affordable mover in Florida who takes the utmost pride in their work? Look no further than Affordable Moving Service & Storage, your go-to home mover among long-distance movers and moving companies in Port Charlotte, Florida, and the rest of southwestern Florida. Contact us today for a moving quote: (239) 674-0024 or (877) 281-9580. Make us your full service moving company.