DELAWARE - The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will begin its annual mosquito spring spray campaign as early as this Tuesday. The spray operations will continue throughout Delaware and last through mid-April.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control says starting as early as Tuesday, March 18th, their Mosquito Control Section will begin its annual spring spraying of woodland pools to control aquatic mosquito larvae. According to DNREC, state officials will start in Sussex County and then expand to Kent and New Castle counties.
DNREC says by targeting early-season woodland pool larval mosquitoes, it can limit the number of adults later in the spring. The adult mosquitoes are the ones that typically bite.
Every year, DNREC treats approximately 10,000 acres of wet woodlands near select populated areas. However, due to the state's continuing drought conditions, there has been "much lower-than-average water present in the woodlands".
DNREC says all control treatments will be done via helicopter applying a liquid, bacteria-derived insecticide commonly known as Bti. DNREC says "Bti has been determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pose no unreasonable risks to human health, wildlife or the environment when applied in accordance with product label instructions as required by federal law."
State officials provide more information on mosquito spray campaigns in Delaware. They also have a Spray Zone Map to keep track of where the crew is spraying.