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Aerial mosquito larvicide treatment planned for March 23
LAKEPORT, Calif. – In an effort to reduce the number of biting adult mosquitoes emerging this spring, the Lake County Vector Control District will be making an aerial treatment of the marshlands adjacent to the lake between the Clear Lake State Park and Lakeport, parts of Anderson Marsh State Park and a small section east of the Clearlake Keys.
The treatment is expected to begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 23, but may be rescheduled if the weather prevents safe application.
If the application is canceled or rescheduled, that information will be posted on the district’s Web site, www.lcvcd.org .
The district’s winter mosquito surveillance program has detected large numbers of mosquito larvae in the marshlands along the perimeter of the lake that become flooded as the lake rises in winter.
These mosquito larvae are an early-season floodwater species (Aedes increpitus) that hatch from eggs laid in the mud in previous years as the lake receded.
When winter rains flooded the eggs, the larvae hatched and began developing in the still, shallow water.
As temperatures and day length increase in early spring, the Ae. increpitus mosquito larvae will pupate and then emerge as biting adults.
These mosquitoes are the aggressive biters experienced every spring by people living and recreating near this area.
The application will be made by a yellow, bi-winged crop duster flying at a low altitude over these marshy areas.
Some of the marshy areas are near homes, and people may experience a brief noise nuisance from the plane.
The product applied will be VectoBac GS, a biological larvicide used to control mosquito larvae in aquatic habitats.
VectoBac, manufactured by Valent BioSciences, is based on the naturally occurring soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti). The district said it is a highly effective and economical microbial insecticide registered with the Environmental Protection Agency for the control of larval mosquitoes in nearly all aquatic habitats.
Bti is highly selective for the control of mosquito larvae in water and does not affect plants, animals or beneficial insects that live in or drink the water.
The formulation is a biodegradable solid corncob granule, similar to large sand particles, which are coated with the Bti, which breaks down rapidly in nature so there is no persistence of the active ingredient. The use of a solid formulation reduces the drift onto adjacent property.
The Lake County Vector Control District makes every effort to use the safest product available to minimize any health concerns the public may have.
The larvicide label and the safety data sheet are available from the Lake County Vector Control District’s Web site http://www.lcvcd.org/ or may be requested by calling 707-263-4770.