Gypsy moths wreaked havoc on trees in Carbon County last spring.

In 2015, Carbon County again participated in the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' gypsy moth suppression program.A total of 774 acres were sprayed in the county at a cost of $26 per acre for a total of $20,124. Of that total, 610 acres was Mauch Chunk Lake Park property and cost the county $15,860.The remaining 164 acres was private residents who qualified to be part of the spraying, and they shared the $4,264 balance.Residents lost hundreds of acres of trees."Ninety percent of my trees have no leaves left on them," said Lorraine Pierre of Franklin Township."I had a little grove of black gum trees that I've been told were around since the dinosaurs and they're gone. My mature 100-foot chestnut trees are gone. My oaks don't even have half a leaf on them. It's a mess."Applicants who signed up by Aug. 30 will be eligible for the 2016 spraying program.It targets forested residential property that must contain trees 25 feet or more in height and consist of at least 20 percent or more of highly favored species, including apple, aspen, basswood, beech, birches, box elder, hawthorn, larch, oaks, willows and witch hazel trees; and also have at least 250 healthy gypsy moth egg masses per acre, which is measured by Dave Horvath, county gypsy moth coordinator.