Residents in Arlington and the nearby Town of Pantego should have been ready for the whir of sprayers starting July 30 as the cities combated West Nile Virus-bearing mosquitoes. After identifying eight positive mosquito samples in Arlington and two in Pantego, officials rolled out targeted ground spraying, slated for two consecutive evenings through locations that read like a roll call of the suburban landscape, from Saddle Ridge Road at Yachtclub Drive to Shady Valley Drive at West Pioneer Parkway, according to the City of Arlington, Texas.
The invisible nemesis, West Nile Virus, prompted a response that filled the night with the sounds of battle against mosquito squadrons. The ground assault began after dusk at 9 p.m. and pushed through to 5 a.m. on July 30 and 31. An ultra-low volume application of a water-based permethrin product was the city's primary weapon to decimate adult mosquito populations that had shrugged off larvicides and other lighter measures. The spraying focused on areas where prior nonchemical tactics hadn't met success.
Arlington wasn't new to the fight against these tiny, disease-carrying marauders. Routine trapping and strategic larvicide applications have been the norm since mosquito season started. This time around, crews were also dispatched to survey and neutralize breeding hotspots such as standing water, which is a Club Med for mosquito reproduction. The city paired this with a public awareness campaign on personal protective measures, including dressing in long sleeves and pants and applying, and reapplying, insect repellents containing DEET.
The cities assured that the pesticide posed no significant risk to animals or the environment, opting for a product that dissipated swiftly with minimal residual effects. Residents with chemical sensitivities or respiratory conditions such as asthma were advised by officials to reduce potential exposure by staying indoors during the spritzing hours. For more insights into the spray schedules or to report standing water, locals could reach out to Arlington's Action Center at 817-459-6777 or download the city's "Ask Arlington" info app.
4o
