A plane flying low over parts of Metro Vancouver caught residents' and drivers' attention Monday morning.
Some took to social media to ask why the plane was flying repeatedly over their homes and near Highway 1.
"What's with the plane flying very close to residential homes in Burnaby by Deer Lake?" one person wrote on Twitter.
"Anyone know what's going on this plane scaring the heck out of me," wrote another, with a video showing the plane flying over a home.
It turns out the flight was planned by the province weeks in advance. In April, the Forestry Ministry said it would conduct aerial spray treatments in several Lower Mainland locations to prevent invasive lymantria moths.
Planned 2022 treatment areas include 193 hectares in Burnaby, 108 hectares in Surrey, 341 hectares in Mission, 362 hectares in Mission and 49 hectares in Chilliwack. A ground-spray is also planned for Coquitlam.
"Last year’s monitoring program trapped an above-average number of male moths on the Lower Mainland, indicating that the moths could become established in those locations if the proposed pesticide spraying is not done," a statement from the province said.
"If left untreated, the invasive lymantria moths could spread to other areas of British Columbia. Trees such as Garry oak, arbutus, red alder, aspen, cottonwood, maple, orchard fruit trees, nut trees and many species of urban ornamental trees would be affected, as well as food crops such as apples, blueberries and other fruits."
As many as four treatments are planned for those areas, which means locals might see the planes again. Treatments are scheduled through mid-June, though dates may change based on weather and the insects' development rate, the province said.
The aerial treatments will be conducted from first light to about 8:30 a.m. However, the permit to conduct the flights restricts the areas with public schools to be treated only until 7:45 a.m. on weekdays.
The treatment uses Foray 48B, with the active ingredient Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki, also known as Btk.
"Btk has been approved for the control of lymantria moth larvae in Canada since 1961," the province's statement said. "It does not harm humans, mammals, birds, fish, plants, reptiles, amphibians, bees or other insects. It affects only the stomachs of caterpillars and is specific to their digestive systems."
