Norfolk Mosquito Control to Treat Local Wetlands This Week

Norfolk Mosquito Control plans to begin applyinh mosquito larvicide in wetlands in areas across Norfolk County this week, including Wrentham.

As it stands, the plan is to begin the treatment Wednesday, April 13, and finish by Friday, April 15. However, the treatment's success is dependent on accommodating weather conditions, so the schedule may be subject to change.

Helicopters will distribute the treatment, which targets mosquito larvae rather than adult mosquitos, over wet areas where mosquitos breed. The Norfolk County Mosquito Control district has provided a map indicating the specific areas that will be treated.

The spray is called Vectobac GR and contains the active ingredient Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti). According the district, there are essentially no risks to human health from this treatment; in fact, it's believed that Bti narrowly targets mosquito larvae and that extensive testing has found no negative effects on other animals or the environment.

Bti is actually a bacteria that kills mosquito larvae. According to the district:

Microbial larvicides are bacteria that are registered as pesticides for control of mosquito larvae in outdoor areas such as irrigation ditches, flood water, standing ponds, woodland pools, pastures, tidal water, fresh or saltwater marshes, and storm water retention areas. Duration of effectiveness depends primarily on the mosquito species, the environmental conditions, the formulation of the product, and water quality.

Information about special requests regarding the spraying is available here.

Norfolk County has been treated for mosquitos for almost every year since 2002. For further information, visit the Norfolk County Mosquito Control.

Photo Credit: John Phelan via WikiMedia Commons