City fogs mosquitos

Mosquitoes are annoying, but they also carry disease. Learning about the seriousness of those diseases prompted Pea Ridge Street Department superintendent Nathan See to experiment with the first mosquito fogging program in town.

“We will start mosquito fogging this week. We will be out each night for two hours doing a section at a time. This will be 7:30 p.m. till 10 p.m.,” See said. On Monday night, the southwest quarter of the city was fogged. Tuesday, it was to be the northwest quarter. Then the southeast and northeast quarters later in the week.

See said he learned that not only can mosquitoes transmit West Nile Virus, but Dengue Fever, Chikungunya and dog heart worm. “There was a 4-year-old

girl who got a disease from a mosquito bite that “eats her bones and has crippled her,” See said.

The insecticide being sprayed is permethrin and piperonyl butoxide technical. A link to the material safety date sheet is provided.

“It only puts out 10 ounces an hour,” See said.

Plans are to spray this week, the last week in July, the second and last week of August. Pea Ridge Street Department personnel are operating the leased equipment.

“It’s kind of a test to see if people like it. We would like to hear feedback,” See said. “There are pros and cons on everything. We want to try to help the health and safety of the people. Please tell us if you see any difference.”

Residents of Pea Ridge may contact See through the city’s Facebook Page, City of Pea Ridge, or through e-mail, nathan. see@cityofpearidge.com.

“We want to see what people think of it. Is it something effective?” he said.

See said the chemical is not harmful to people but it’s probably not a good idea to be outside “chasing the fog machine around.”