Health department to spray for mosquitoes
Officials plan to spray for mosquitoes in Royersford, Limerick, Upper Providence and Pottstown.
The Montgomery County Health Department, in consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pottstown, Royersford, Limerick and Upper Providence officials, will be spraying to control the adult mosquito population in selected areas.
The spraying will be done where sampling by the health department and DEP has shown mosquitoes that carry the West Nile Virus.
The spraying will be conducted in Royersford and Limerick and Upper Providence townships, weather permitting, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, from approximately 8 to 11 p.m. The alternate date will be Wednesday, Sept. 6.
The spraying will be conducted in Pottstown, weather permitting, on Thursday, Aug. 31, from approximately 8 to 11 p.m. The alternate date will be Thursday, Sept. 7.
All areas within the highlighted sections of the attached maps will be subjected to spraying. Residents within the spray area should consider remaining indoors, closing windows and turning off ventilation systems that draw-in outside air for the duration of the spray plus 30 minutes after.
Workers will be using Duet Duel-action Adulticide at a rate of .75 fluid ounces per acre applied with a truck mounted Ultra Low Volume (ULV) sprayer. The spraying will be performed by health department personnel.
The Health Department will work with appropriate agencies to identify, eliminate or treat with larvacide, areas where mosquitoes are breeding. Residents may contact the Health Department at 610-2785117 if they are concerned about an area of standing water that may be a breeding area. The adult mosquito control program will only be used in limited situations to reduce large numbers of adult mosquitoes.
For notification of any future spray events sign up with “ReadyMontco” at www.montcopa.org/readymontco. For further information about the products being used, visit the www. montcopa.org/wnvinfo.
There are things that everyone can do around the home to help eliminate mosquito-breeding areas:
Identify and eliminate all sources of standing water that collect on your property. Mosquitoes will breed in any stagnant water that lasts for five or more days.
Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water holding containers that have collected on your property. Do not overlook containers that have become overgrown by aquatic vegetation.
Pay special attention to discarded tires that may have collected water on your property. They can serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are left out of doors. Drainage holes that are located on the container sides collect enough water for mosquitoes to breed in.
Have clogged roof gutters cleaned on an annual basis, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to block drains.
Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use. A wading pool becomes a place for mosquitoes to breed if it is not used on a regular basis.
Turn over wheelbarrows and do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths.
Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. Water gardens are fashionable but become major mosquito breeding grounds if they are allowed to stagnate.
Keep swimming pools clean and chlorinated. A swimming pool that is left untended becomes a source of mosquito breeding. Be aware that mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on swimming pool covers.
Additionally, residents within the spray area should consider remaining indoors, closing windows and turning off ventilation systems that draw-in outside air for the duration of the spray plus 30 minutes after.