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After the planes released their spray, I didn see any dead caterpillars. How come?

April 26, 2017caterpillars dead Planes released spray

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After the planes released their spray, I didn see any dead caterpillars. How come?

1 Answer

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The spray droplets coming out of the airplane are extremely small 200-300 microns (roughly the size of a period) and are applied at a rate of gallon per acre. The material is not a contact poison and must be eaten by the caterpillars for it to work. Upon ingestion, the B.t. disrupts the stomach of the caterpillars, which stop feeding and migrate off of the trees to eventually die from starvation.