Crews are scheduled to begin at dusk Friday using airplanes to spray insecticides across Brunswick County to reduce the mosquito population and associated public health risk.
The countywide aerial spraying is to take place through Oct. 18 as part of the emergency response to the increased mosquito populations caused by heavy rainfall and flooding from Tropical Storm Debby and Potential Tropical Cyclone No. 8, officials said.
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The board of commissioners at its regular meeting on Oct. 7 unanimously approved the notice to proceed for Vector Disease Control International to perform the aerial mosquito control.
Exact routes could change depending on weather conditions. Any changes to the daily spraying schedule will be publicized. Ground spraying by truck will follow where needed.
“When applied by a licensed vector control professional who follows label instructions, aerial spraying poses minimal risk to people, pets, animals, and the environment,” officials said.
“Aerial spraying uses very low volumes of either adulticide or larvicide, so you are not likely to breathe or touch anything that has enough insecticide on it to harm you,” the county continued. “That being said, individuals located in the areas being sprayed are encouraged to avoid being outside during evening hours if possible as there is a possibility that spraying adulticides can cause eye irritation if a person is outside when spraying takes place.”
Sprays are scheduled at dusk to better protect the public and insects. The aerial spraying is not anticipated to affect insects like butterflies and dragonflies as they are less active at night, but beekeepers should take precautions to protect their hives.
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North Carolina Cooperative Extension advises that beekeepers move their bees out of the county until the sprays end, cover the hives with wet burlap or another material to prevent foraging, and tell other beekeepers so they can avoid colony loss during this necessary aerial application. Contact the county’s extension center at 910-253-2610 or visit brunswick.ces.ncsu.edu.
Learn more about mosquito control at brunswickcountync.gov/mosquito-control. For additional questions, contact Brunswick County Mosquito Control at 910-253-2515 or email MosquitoControl@brunswickcountync.gov.
