Residents in parts of Bucks County are bracing for a truck-mounted mosquito control operation today. The move, announced by the Bucks County Department of Health (BCDH), targets a surge in both the nuisance mosquitoes and those capable of transmitting the West Nile virus. Spraying will take place in Falls Township, Lower Makefield Township, and Morrisville Borough, aiming to lower the risk of the potential spread of West Nile encephalitis—an inflammation of the brain that humans can contract from the virus.
The operation is part of BCDH's West Nile Virus Mosquito Control Program and will deploy an ultra-low volume (ULV) application of Duet, a pesticide with a very low toxicity profile to mammals, ensuring minimal impact to non-target insects and the surrounding environment. Detailed maps of the treatment areas have been disclosed; for instance, treatments in Falls Township will span from W. Post Road to East Post Road, and from S. Pennsylvania Ave. to New Tyburn Road. Residents might spot the vehicles by the Bucks County seal logo emblazoned on the trucks' doors.
According to the official announcement, the program is a response to identified hot spots where mosquitoes are not only a nuisance but a public health concern. The intervention is precisely timed and carefully mapped. For Lower Makefield Township, areas within the bounds of Kathy Drive, River Road, Richard Road, Manor Ln W, Makefield Road, Sutphin Road, Yardley Morrisville Road, W. Ferry Road and Big Oak Road are set for treatment. In Morrisville Borough, spraying will cover sections encompassed by W. Philadelphia Ave, Riverview Ave, Riverside Ave, S. Pennsylvania Ave, W. Post Road, E. Post Road, and Wright Ave.
