Pesticide Sprayers Respond to Resident Concern

After State Rep. Scott Drury spoke out against the use of pesticides to kill mosquitos in Highland Park, the Southlake Mosquito Abatement District responded to concerns from residents and Drury. 

The pesticide was sprayed from an airplane over Highland Park, Deerfield, Bannockburn, Riverwoods and Highwood on Thursday at around dusk. Drury and some Patch readers concerned about the pesticide's toxicity.

"Just reading the actual label... it specifically says that it's highly toxic to aquatic organisms," Drury said.

The FAQ below was provided by Southlake.

Why is an aerial application taking place?

The South Lake Mosquito Abatement District conducts a mosquito control program that is science-based, with various threshold triggers that call for different treatments based on surveillance, i.e., trap counts. With the recent rains, mosquito populations have climbed to levels that go beyond nuisance and threaten quality of life for our residents.

What time is the application?

The application is scheduled to being after dusk, approximately8:40 p.m. Because mosquito control is weather-dependent, wind speeds on the ground and in the air may impact our application times.

What products are being used?

The product we are using is Duet, which is registered and approved by the EPA for use in this type of application. A very small amount of active ingredient is used - about a tablespoon treating an acre. The droplets are configured to interact with a mosquito's physiology, and the application is not expected to impact on beneficial insects, pets or people. The last time an aerial application took place we saw about 85 percent reduction in mosquito populations.

Do I need to take special precautions? Cover my gardens? Stay indoors?

The product we will be using during our aerial mosquito control application has no re-entry restrictions, and residents do not need to take any special actions during the application. The product breaks down very quickly in the environment and has no residual effect. There is no particular concern for fruits and vegetables, though it's prudent to wash any home-grown food before eating. There is no need to cover ornamental plants.

Is this harmful to bees and beneficial insects?

These mosquito applications will be conducted during the evening when mosquitoes are most active and bees have returned to the hive. The product dissipates and breaks down quickly in the environment, and when bees emerge in morning hours, they are not impacted.

Is this harmful to aquatic life and waterways?

At the dosage rates and droplet configuration used in this operation, there is no risk of contamination of lakes, streams and waterways and there should be no impact to aquatic life. The product is approved for use directly over water to target adult mosquitoes.

For any additional questions, please emailsouthlake@clarke.com.