The Santa Clara County's Vector Control District is taking to the skies on Thursday, March 20, to quell a burgeoning mosquito population in the Palo Alto flood basin. Residents won't see these pests buzz off without intervention, according to Santa Clara County's Vector Control District.
The target of the aerial assault is the larvae of the winter salt marsh mosquito, a species that does more than just ruin picnics; these bugs can travel up to 20 miles to snack on unsuspecting hosts, they don't discriminate in their biting spree, and they're hearty survivors in the marshy breeding grounds. Utilizing a helicopter to spray the marshes is a strategic move by the district due to the challenging terrain that thwarts ground-based treatments. Despite the efforts of district workers who have attempted hand-administered treatments with the recent rains, pockets of water have become out of reach. If the breeding isn't curbed, adult mosquitoes will soon descend on nearby neighborhoods.
The district isn't new to the rodeo; this approach has been a near-annual initiative since 1992. The method employs environmentally sensitive agents like Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, a common soil bacterium, and methoprene, a juvenile hormone analog. Both of these agents are designed to stop the pests before they can start their blood-sucking adult phase. These agents rapidly degrade in the environment and pose minimal risk to non-target species, including humans, which might be a relief to the eco-conscious among us.
