Spraying mosquito larvicide in June paid off with big drop in adult mosquitos

By RICK MILLER

Olean Star

OLEAN — Complaints about mosquitoes in late May and early June and high mosquito larvae counts prompted Cattaraugus County lawmakers to authorize aerial spraying.

The spraying of larvicide over wetland breeding areas from June 12-15 halted mosquito larvae development and resulted in a steep drop in both public complaints and the number of mosquitoes caught in traps.

County legislators unanimously approved a resolution to pay Duflo Spray Chemical Co. about $60,000 to spray the larvicide.

Cattaraugus County Public Health Director Dr. Kevin D. Watkins said Wednesday there has been “a significant drop” in the number of adult mosquitoes found in special traps set by the health department mosquito surveillance team in areas along  the Allegheny River Valley.

“We were seeing (mosquito) totals above 1,800 per night,” Watkins explained. “We are below 200 at this point in some traps.” 

That is linked to the use of larvicide over 3,463 acres of wetland mosquito breeding areas, he said. 

Watkins added that even in some areas where there have historically been high numbers of adult mosquitoes like the Birch Run area in Allegany, where the totals “really came down quite a bit.”

While adult numbers have been going down, there continues to be frequent heavy rains across the area which has lead to water pooling in yards that can become

mosquito breeding pools. “These could be typical sites where mosquitoes are laying their eggs,” Watkins said.

The public health director said pools of mosquitoes caught in the traps set by the health department are sent to the state Department of Health laboratory in Albany to see if any carry viruses like West Nile virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

None of the pools of mosquitoes from Cattaraugus County have shown any of those viruses, Watkins said. “We are continuing to monitor the situation.”

He added: “I’m hopeful people will be able to enjoy their summer outdoors.”

Watkins encouraged residents to look at their property and make sure there are no containers for water where mosquitoes can breed, like birdbaths and small pools. Water can also pool in gutters.

“Remove residual water and empty water from any containers in your yard,” Watkins said.