Mosquito control spraying program scheduled for Tuesday, August 16, in Columbia

 

[The following information is provided by the Mosquito-borne Disease Control Program Coordinator for Lebanon and Lancaster County.]

Our program uses Aquaduet with the primary active ingredient being sumithrin. Those applying the product are certified applicators and continuously earn credits in the field of invertebrate pest management and core application law. It's important to understand that the product we use, AquaDuet, poses no threat to pollinators such as bees when used according to the label. We specifically deploy this product after dusk when the target mosquito species is most active and bees are not. The droplets are also so tiny that they are only “potent” for roughly 20 minutes before they become obsolete. The product has no residual and is therefore unable to adhere to vegetation, leech into the ground, etc. and harm non-target species. Additionally, we cross reference apiaries listed on the Department of Agriculture’s website and alert apiarists who are in the vicinity of our spray in case they would prefer to take additional precautions. To take it a step further, we do not spray within a 500ft radius of known apiaries. We understand the role pollinators play and want to ensure that we do them no harm while also protecting public health.

This is the first truck mounted spray in Columbia (I browsed our database, which goes back to 2016). However, adult control is the last step of our integrated mosquito management approach, with education and larval surveillance/control, and habitat reduction coming first. Only when thresholds are met- i.e. human transmission of West Nile Virus is imminent, do we take action in the form of adult control to mitigate that risk. Public health is our number one priority.

Thank you,

Antonio Alvarado, MS

Mosquito-borne Disease Control Program Coordinator

Lebanon and Lancaster County

717-277-5275 x112

www.lccd.org/mosquito-borne-disease-program