ag cats over columbus ohio

[Tom XL-7]

at first light the rare sound of radial engines draws me outside. Seven agricultural sprayers flying in a wide staggered formation about 100" over the tree tops.
Medical or police helicopters are normal, perhaps a cessna reporting traffic., but this was a first. 
Being underneath them for repeated passovers I was more than curious to find out what I was subjected to.
Seems they are trying to draw a line to stop the western migration of gypsy moths. 
 The "spray" is tiny plastic flakes impregnated with a pheromone. They are attempting to cover the tree tops.
 The females do not fly. The males find them. The idea is to make it nearly impossible for the males to find the females within an environment of false signals.
the sound of multiple hard working radials is one of my favorites.
Tom XL-7

[Poorman2]

Tom, My neighbor is an ag pilot. They own a crop dusting service just outside of town. I have grown up with them and there radial engines. Gotta love em! They also have an AT6 that a friend of theres owns that they fly. They now fly turbo prop (turbines) ag engines and hellicopters. They used to have a J3 Cub that I took flying lessons in. That plane was so much fun. I wish they still had it.

[stevejahr]

I live near/under the local practice area.  So I can always tell when one of the 2-3 different groups come to town with the big WW-II bombers.  You just do not hear a B-17/B-24 pass nearby every day but when you do you know there is something big and special up there.