How much spray does it take to kill one dead moth?

The Greens are appalled that Hamilton residents are again being subjected to aerial spraying of the chemical cocktail Foray 48B to kill any Asian Gypsy Moths that might be in Hamilton.

Biosecurity Spokesperson Ian Ewen-Street MP said today it was absurd that so much inconvenience and health risk was being visited on so many in the pursuit of so few.

"Only one (male) moth has ever been found.

"In Auckland with the Painted Apple Moth, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry - once they got their act together - at least used bait and pheromone traps first to determine the extent of the infestation.

"This should be done in Hamilton also. There is a whole network of traps there. MAF should use the information gained from these this spring to determine whether there is more than one moth before continuing to bombard Hamiltonians with this toxic chemical cocktail.

"Aerial spraying should be the absolute last resort."

Mr Ewen-Street added his voice to the challenge from fellow Green MP Sue Kedgley to Health Minister Annette King to stand under the flight path in Hamilton every spray day, by issuing the same challenge to Biosecurity Minister Jim Sutton.

"Mr Sutton should see for himself the range of problems the spray causes residents."

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