NOTIFICATION OF MOSQUITO CONTROL LARVAL CONTROL PROGRAM


January 8, 2008

 

Ground Larvicide Notice

Please be advised that the Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project will begin the larval control program beginning in April 2008. This program will be a continuation of the procedure, which has been used in past years. The Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project will be conducting larval control applications using a granular form of Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), a naturally occurring soil bacterium that kills mosquito larvae in low-lying swampy areas where mosquito larvae develop throughout the season.

Aerial Larvicide Notice

The Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project will be treating wetlands in 25 of the communities within the District with a granular form of Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), a naturally occurring soil bacterium that kills mosquito larvae before they become adult mosquitoes. Typically this takes place in mid to late April depending on the development of the mosquito larvae. Additional applications may occur during the summer months if larval development warrants additional control efforts.

 

Bti is virtually non-toxic to humans, plants and animals. The Bti is impregnated on coarsely ground corncob granules. In the larger wetlands which are inaccessible from roads, these applications will be done by helicopters flying at tree top level. The granules when applied fall straight into the wetland and do not drift beyond the targeted area.

 

Aerial Bti applications will only be done in wetlands that potentially harbor significant numbers of mosquito larvae. In early March the Project will begin taking "dip" samples of water from these wetlands in order to determine larval density. The Project will follow up with aerial/ground applications where sufficient mosquito larvae density has been identified. Aerial applications of Bti are currently scheduled to take place sometime between mid and late April depending on the speed of larval development.

 

According to information on the EPA website, http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/mosquitoes/larvicides4mosquitoes.htm  ...microbial larvicides "...are essentially nontoxic to humans, so there are no concerns for human health effects with Bti..." and "...do not pose risks to wildlife, most non-target species, or the environment...". 

 

We remind you that, since the mosquito species most likely to be potential vectors of West Nile Virus develop in containers such as rain gutters, kiddie pools, or any other containers which hold water for more than five days. The public can play a major role in controlling these vectors by eliminating all standing water on their property

 

Residents not wishing to have their property treated must notify the Town Clerk in writing, with a copy to the Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project.

Note: The Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project will issue an additional notice in May before early morning residential ULV applications commence.

A Copy of the Legal Notice will be posted in the Boston Globe in February 2008:

Legal Notice - Aerial Application to Control Mosquito Larvae

 

The Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project will be conducting

helicopter applications of the biological larvicide Bti to control

mosquito larvae.  The application will be conducted over specific large

wetlands in the Towns of:

 

 Avon/Bellingham/Braintree/Canton/Dedham/Dover/Foxboro/Franklin/

Holbrook/Medfield/Medway/Millis/Milton/Needham/Norfolk/Norwood/

Plainville/Quincy/Randolph/Sharon/Stoughton/Walpole/Westwood/

Weymouth/Wrentham area.

 

The application will be conducted between April 1, 2008 and September 15, 2008.

 

 The trade name of the granular formulations of Bti to be used is

VectoBac G (EPA Reg. #73049-10). For further information contact

John J. Smith, Director at (781) 762-3681 or the Boards of Health in the towns

listed above. Information is also available on line at http://massnrc.org/ncmcp

 

Sincerely,

John J. Smith, Director

Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project

Note: If possible, please run this notice on your local Cable channel.


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