Fargo, North Dakota – For the towns of Fargo and West Fargo, aerial mosquito spraying has been set for tonight at 8:30 p.m.
At 6 o’clock, a pre-application flight to inspect the spray block will take off. No insecticide will be used at that time. The insecticide in question is an Ultra Low Volume, or ULV, spray that contains permethrin as its active component. It is determined to be non-toxic to people and animals, making it recommended for residential environments.
More than 19,000 mosquitoes were tallied by Cass County Vector Control on Monday. The number is greatest in the last three years. While rural cities are the hardest hit, according to Ben Prather of Vector Control, the overall climate is uncomfortably uncomfortable and is set to get worse. West Nile was found in Grand Forks County, and according to Prather, it will eventually be found throughout the FM region.
As Moorhead is classified as a “low” risk area, the city presently has no plans to use aerial spraying to reduce the number of bothersome mosquitoes there. Moorhead must fall under the “high” risk level for the city’s confirmed disease transmission in order to use aerial spraying. The modified terms were adopted by the Moorhead City Council in March.
Residents in Moorhead are urged to take personal precautions, such as wearing long sleeves or pants, using insect repellents, and staying indoors during mosquito breeding hours between night and dawn. Additionally, getting rid of any standing water is advised because it serves as an insect breeding site.
Residents are urged to get in touch with their Ward City Council representatives if they think the city should participate in airborne mosquito spraying.
Visit the Cass County Vector Control website for additional details regarding aerial spraying in Fargo and West Fargo.
