Adult Mosquito Spraying in Selected Areas of Abington Township, Montgomery County
MONTGOMERY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
1430 DeKalb Street, PO Box 311
Norristown, PA 19404-0311
Phone: 610-278-5117 • Fax: 610-278-5167
TDD: 610-631-1211
www.health.montcopa.org
Contact- Harriet Morton, 610-278-5117 x6705
For Release: Immediate
Adult Mosquito Spraying in Selected Areas of Abington Township, Montgomery County
Norristown, Pa (July 22, 2010) The Montgomery County Health Department (MCHD), after consulting with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), and Abington Township officials, will be adulticiding (spraying) to control the adult mosquito population in selected sections of Abington Township.
The spraying will be done where sampling by the Health Department and PADEP has shown mosquito populations that have the West Nile Virus. The spraying will be done, weather permitting, on Tuesday evening, July 27, 2010 at Briar Bush Nature Center, City Park, Rubicam Park and Roychester Park.
The rain date will be Wednesday, July 28, 2010. The spraying will start at approximately 8:00pm and will end at approximately 10:30pm.
The MCHD will perform the spraying. There will be no aerial spraying. Workers will use Biomist 3 + 15 at a rate of .75 ounces per acre sprayed from both hand held and ATV mounted Ultra Low Volume (ULV) equipment. Pesticide-sensitive individuals on the State registry will be notified in advance, if they are within the spray area.
The Health Department will work with appropriate agencies to identify, eliminate or treat with larvacide, areas where mosquitoes are breeding. Residents may contact the Health Department at 610-278-5117 if they are concerned about an area of standing water that may be a breeding area. The adult mosquito control program will only be used in limited situations to reduce large numbers of adult mosquitoes.
For further information about the products being used, visit the EPA website at epa.gov/pesticides/health/mosquitoes
There are things that everyone can do around the home to help eliminate mosquito-breeding areas. Some of these tips include:
- Identify and eliminate all sources of standing water that collects on your property. Mosquitoes will breed in any puddle that lasts for more than four days.
- Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water holding containers that have collected on your property. Do not overlook containers that have become overgrown by aquatic vegetation.
- Pay special attention to discarded tires that may have collected water on your property. They can serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
- Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are left out of doors. Drainage holes that are located on the container sides collect enough water for mosquitoes to breed in.
- Have clogged roof gutters cleaned on an annual basis, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to block drains.
- Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use. A wading pool becomes a place for mosquitoes to breed if it is not used on a regular basis.
- Turn over wheelbarrows and do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths.
- Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. Water gardens are fashionable but become major mosquito breeding grounds if they are allowed to stagnate.
- Keep swimming pools clean and chlorinated. A swimming pool that is left untended becomes a source of mosquito breeding. Be aware that mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on swimming pool covers.