In a move to nip the mosquito menace in the bud, the County of Santa Clara Vector Control District has slated an aerial larva-control operation this Valentine's Day. The district, aiming to staunch the spread of nuisance mosquitoes, will target the unpopulated realm of the Palo Alto flood basin. The chopper-led pesticide drop will be focused on sabotaging the growth of aggressive, blood-hungry Aedes squamiger larvae, an announcement by the district stated.
According to the Santa Clara County news release, the treatment concoction, a cocktail of naturally occurring microbes and a mosquito hormone regulator, has been a tried-and-true method since 1992. Making low-altitude passes, the helicopter will help reach water pockets impervious to pedestrian efforts, especially amplified by the recent deluge. Should the weather on Wednesday be unfavorable, plan B includes updates via the district's digital channels.
An aerial larval mosquito control treatment is scheduled for Wednesday, 2/14 at 7:30 a.m. in the Palo Alto Flood Basin, a non-residential area. Treatment will reduce mosquito populations breeding in the area. Visit https://t.co/lGgJVVqBRI for more info. pic.twitter.com/WTJIm35Vo0
— County of Santa Clara Vector Control District (@SCCVCD) February 12, 2024
These winter biters pose a bloodsucking threat, capable of commuting up to 20 miles for a meal. Dr. Nayer Zahiri, the Vector Control District Manager, revealed, "Our team members check these marshes on a regular basis and have done treatments by hand. However, all the recent rain has created pockets of water that we can’t reach by foot. If we don’t conduct the treatment soon, larvae in the area will soon become biting adults," via the news release.
The specific pesticides used in the effort — Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis and methoprene— are touted as having minimal environmental footprint and negligible toxicity to non-target species. Treating over the more expansive breeding grounds, this method has been a unanimous choice across Bay Area vector districts. There's no risk to the public during the aerial assault, and access to the trails and open spaces will bounce back post-treatment. The area, direct under the flight, has been advised to be avoided by the public and will observe trail closures for safety, the district noted.
Whilst conducting this air strike, the district also calls on locals to pitch in the combat against mosquitoes by following preventive strategies like liquidating stagnant water, donning protective clothing during peak mosquito hours, and employing insect repellent during outdoor escapades. The community can report any mosquito activity and request free mosquito control assistance between 7:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., or through an online service request provided by the district, as detailed in the news release.
