they look innocent enough but their impact is anything but this week Governor eny issued an emergency Proclamation due to the imminent danger of a spongy moth infestation in parts of our state but what makes this species so dangerous spongy moths can kill large swots of trees and their impact can be even worse on evergreens which is a majority of our state's tree cover right now the emminent infestations are located in thirston County near Steamboat Island Road and US Highway 101 another threatened location is in skic County near the town of concrete in total over 2300 acres are at risk last summer Fox 13 tagged along with Washington agricultural Crews as they sit traps for the spongy moth they warn if the spongy moths take root all bets are off for what this state would look like and the caterpillars are voracious and uh they they will eat just about anything I've been to state parks and you go in this was in July and it looks like it's it's the winter because the entire park is defoliated of all of the leaves on the trees not only the trees but ceiling to floor all of the the shrubs everything the emergency Proclamation allows the Department of Agriculture to use emergency measures like aerial spray applications those measures began yesterday in thirston County treatments in skic County will begin in the next few weeks