Slayin' skeeters in the name of safety

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt Lester Nicholas
  • 319th Civil Engineer Squadron
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N. D. --  During the evenings of June 26 to 28, a C-13O Hercules will be buzzing Grand Forks Air Force Base, combating the unofficial state bird: the mosquito.

Aerial mosquito spray missions will be flown by the 757th Airlift Squadron from Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio. The spray team's C-130 is fitted with a $2 million spray system.

C-130 spraying is just one of the base's many tactics in fighting mosquitoes. Experts here use a three-point approach: public education, personal protection and integrated mosquito management.

Sustainable integrated mosquito management here includes surveillance of adult mosquitoes and larva, larvacide (an insecticide applied to standing water) application, and adulticide (an insecticide to kill adult mosquitoes) application.

Surveillance for mosquitoes, and the resulting control measures, involves a couple of procedures and agencies on Grand Forks AFB. The 319th Civil Engineer Squadron's pest management shop surveys the presence of active mosquito larva and applies larvacide to standing water.

Additionally, the 319th Medical Group's public health flight monitors adult mosquitoes with light traps. When the threshold level of trapped mosquitoes is reached, pest management applies an adulticide at ultra low volumes to control adult mosquito populations base wide.

Pest management will be spraying for mosquitoes (weather permitting) June 26 to 29 during peak mosquito activity (generally 8 to 11 p.m. in military family housing). As a precaution, children should avoid following the fogging trucks and playing in the fog. Anytime the driver sees children not following these guidelines the area will not be sprayed.

Spraying will continue throughout the mosquito-breeding season and will cause no harm to people, pets or wildlife. This insecticide is extremely safe when applied as an ultra low volume spray.

For more information about the base's mosquito management program, contact the 319 CES pest management shop at 747-4289 or public health at 747-5511.