The Mosquito Spray Truck

When I was little a group of friends and I would ride our bikes behind the trucks because it was fun to hide in a cloud of smoke...lol

I don't have cancer or any health problems despite breathing the stuff on more than one occasion. They still spray the stuff every year, usually only once or twice in the summer (Indiana).

I don't think it makes a big difference either. I still get bitten often after they spray, just as often as before.

Here in the upper midwest they spray with both trucks and, in the fields, helicopters, always at night and always with advanced warning. It keeps the skeeters down alright but so would a healthy bat population. We're destroying their habitats and making them all endangered when they could do the job for free all season long.

But here in the upper midwest its trucks and helicopters.

We have the mosquito control trucks here too in the Caribbean. My sense of its effectiveness is closely related to how often the chemicals are changed. That is, if the same compounds are used over several years, those mosquitos that are naturally-selected to be resistant, will then become prolific. They're currently using permethrin-based insecticide for adults, as well as a larvaecide in some standing water.

Here's a link to the EPA's Pesticide section, where you can research what is being used, find an MSDS on it, as well as other environmental impacts. epa.gov...

I think it's fairly evident that these compounds are not sometihng you want to willingly ingest. Some of them are deemed unhealthy for aquatic life and bees, etc. as well.

Just as an aside, we keep several 5-gallon pails with water in them with a teaspoon of liquid soap added. The soap acts as a surfactant, decreasing the surface tension of the water, and mosquitos that land on it fall in rather than are able to land on the surface to breed. Our tree frogs use the buckets to drop their eggs, and the soap doesn't appear to harm the tadpoles.... plus they have a ready meal in the form of drowned mosquitos.

We've also experimented with putting this same water in a gallon jug and pitching some yeast and sugar in the water. The off-gassing CO2 definately attracts mosquitos, but seems less effective at drowning the female mosquitos (the biters).

Cheers

Originally posted by Mad_Hatter


I just read a news article from the local news channel down here in Alabama that says Mosquito Spraying has begun here. I was wondering, do they have trucks anywhere else like in the north that go around pouring mass amounts of insecticide into the air like they do here? And this stuff can't be healthy. Really though....it doesn't really decrease the amount of mosquitoes in my opinion. Of course, they spray all the time so I don't really know what it would be like without it. Do you think the pros of mosquito spraying outweigh the cons?

Man oh man, do I remember such a sight. It was a few years back, in the evening time during Summer, when I was just out cruising around. I came to this area where I was going to turn around (using a through street), and behold, I ended up driving right behind one of these trucks spraying a cloud like it was trying to fight a forest fire. West Nile Virus had just become a big topic then (around 2003), and they seemed to be trying pretty hard to prevent it from maintaining a grasp. That was one county over from where I actually live though, and I've never seen such trucks in my residential area.

As for the safety, I would say it's a matter of one risk outweighing the other. The sprays now-a-days are supposedly safer than the DDT trucks of the past ( at least it is what I've assumed). Back then kids used to even run and ride their bikes through the spray. Despite the health risks of the DDT, I know plenty of completely healthy adults who ran through it as kids. Given that observation, I would say you're alright as long as you don't intentionally stand for a long period of time with your head in the spray-fog. Back to outweighing the risks though, it's basically risking your health with a spray that has truly left many folks unaffected, vs. Mosquito borne illnesses which nearly ALWAYS leave folks sick, and can at times kill (having been proven to do such).

Given the choice, I would rather dodge a truck or two every so often, than attempt to dodge unseen Mosquitoes everytime I step out the door.

Double Post, my fault.

[edit on 6-19-2008 by TheAgentNineteen]

reply to post by Mad_Hatter


I live in Illinois and they spray all the time here as well.Its seem to control the mosquitos within our city limits.

Originally posted by Mad_Hatter


I just read a news article from the local news channel down here in Alabama that says Mosquito Spraying has begun here. I was wondering, do they have trucks anywhere else like in the north that go around pouring mass amounts of insecticide into the air like they do here? And this stuff can't be healthy. Really though....it doesn't really decrease the amount of mosquitoes in my opinion. Of course, they spray all the time so I don't really know what it would be like without it. Do you think the pros of mosquito spraying outweigh the cons?

I am from the Memphis TN area, and they do it here frequently. I don't like it, nor do I trust it. It doesn't get rid of mosquitos and if you have pets it will make them sick. Humans are bound to be inhaling it as well. If there are warnings on a insecticide product that says "do not use around pets" or "human do not inhale or digest this product" then they shouldn't go up and down the streets spraying industrial strength "raid". It is common sense and something we all need to be very careful of.

[edit on 6/19/08 by mrfreehugs]

I live in Virginia and we have trucks and planes that spray that stuff into our air...
I've been outside while they were spraying before and let me tell you, it was awful...

They have done this in the north. In fact, in my county which is a very affluent county.

If the residents complain enough, sometimes they spray. Though it hasn't occurred since the wnv panic died down.

The county now focuses more on mosquito prevention, handling complaints of standing water and such.

I think that is a better approach then spraying chemicals into the air.

mosquitos only need a teaspoon of water to breed. I have found larvae in a tiny pool in the crease of a tarp, it doesn't take much, or more then 72 hours.

People need to find standing water and eliminate it.

reply to post by Anonymous ATS


I always encourage people to put in bat houses. It is so much better for the ecology, despite popular beliefs, rabies are very low in bats.
I have been trying to get my husband to build a bat house.

Originally posted by Anonymous ATS
It keeps the skeeters down alright but so would a healthy bat population. We're destroying their habitats and making them all endangered when they could do the job for free all season long.

But here in the upper midwest its trucks and helicopters.

Sorry, not true.

Mosuito.org

Do bats serve as an effective mosquito control?
Recently the public has shown increased interest in the value of insectivorous species of bats in controlling mosquitoes. Although untested lately, this is not a new idea. During the 1920's several bat towers were constructed near San Antonio, Texas, in order to help control malarial mosquitoes. Mosquito populations were not affected and the project was discontinued.

Fear of the methods most communities use to control mosquitoes is unfounded. Malathion has been in use for many decades without problems. The Deep South would be knee deep in Malaria, just like third world countries if not for mosquito control. Not to mention the dangers of Encephalitis.

Source-

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Contact: Stefany Strong, VCHD PIO
VCHD Urges Residents to Protect Themselves from Mosquito-borne Illness
(Eastern Equine Encephalitis reported in Volusia County)
DAYTONA BEACH - The Volusia County Health Department has received notification that two
horses have recently died and tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), a
mosquito-borne disease.
In addition, sentinel chickens are also verifying that the virus is present in mosquitoes in the
same area. No human cases of mosquito borne illnesses have been reported in Volusia County
this year.
“We ask county residents and tourists to be mindful and diligent regarding their personal
mosquito protection efforts,” said Paul Minshew, environmental health manager for the Volusia
County Health Department. “It is important to be aware of mosquito-borne illnesses and how to
prevent them.”

Outbreaks like this are common even though most communities have programs.

This is one case where Environmental Activists could actually be very dangerous to your health. The techniques used to control mosquitoes are safe and have proved to be so over many decades of use.

The main thing is get the standing water drained. No standing water equals no mosquito's.

what is the purpose of a mosquito anyway? how do they benefit society? and could there be a link between the mosquito trucks and the disappearance of honey bees?

Just so you know, the chemicals are posinious and sure they are killing the insects. The are also having other effects on the people around.

They initially started these projects so you get use to having them around and oneday.

oneday.

They spray something different and you will not know the difference and people will get real sick.

There motive is for you to not think about them or notice them.

I'm not a paranoid personality and I base my views on facts. Extremists always lie and take advantage of peoples fears. It's a control issue and in some cases a way to empty your wallet. The methods used are safe and have been proved so since 1957.

One problem is that the current generation has never seen things like Malaria or other dangerous outbreaks of mosquito borne illnesses. It's like this organic nonsense, where if we did what the extremist want hundreds of millions would starve to death and entire economies would fail.

Truth always trumps fiction spread by activists who's entire lives are based on fiction. The problem is that where disease is concerned, their nonsense can cost other people their lives. When it comes to extremists points of view, they are the conspiracy. When facts interfere with their fantasy they just scream liar and to hell with reality as long as they get attention; which is what they truly want.

Their conspiracies are among the worst because they use peoples fears to control them and empty their wallets, just like the government does. Two peas in a pod. Every time I see people paying double in a health food store for products that are no safer and in fact probably more dangerous, I see red. Organic is code for; make sure you have Immodium in the medicine chest and bend over while we take your money.

I went Organic for two months and had Salmonella twice. I learned all I needed to know. I read all the labels in the health food stores and realized there was sugar in all of this healthy food. They had lots of creative names, but it was still sugar. Health food, my backside!

Don't drink the Malathion or pour it over you salad and you will be just fine

Ok, I;m done ranting. Sorry.

The west nile virus was a terror attack. It was never reported as one tho. I wonder why?

Besides Mosquitos being VERY annoying I dont think they are dangerous enough to harm ourselves to get rid of them.

Like if it was like a bear poblem and the bears were killing too many people spray away, but I dont think I want lung problems or anything because of a virtually harmless mosquito. It doesnt seem worth it to use spray trucks like that

DUDE!!! I love that stuff...I used to chase that guy on my bike...not sure why...actually it smells like burnt rubber or something. To answer your initial question...yes it happens elsewhere, and yes I believe it is somewhat beneficial. Enjoy...

reply to post by Anonymous ATS


Easy to say. Difficult to prove. I know two people in central Colorado that contracted West Nile. Yes, they live near a lake.

_____________________

Mosquitos carry several different types of human pathogens. Not all of them carry it, but places I've been, such as northern Canada and parts of Alaska, they are so thick (or were back then), I truly believe a person could die of blood loss. I doubt many places in the U.S. still use mathion. Check the link in my previous post. Most of the mosquito control chemicals are made by two companies.

In regard to the person that posted the batbox info, thank you. I'd forgotten about that. We built batboxes for the small temperate bats, not the larger fruit bats, when we moved here. They took a long time to be occupied, but have been ever since. I now wish I'd have built them closer to the house. I put them back in the bush, where there are so many rockholes that can hold water. There is NO way I could find every little rockhole and douse it with soapy water.

People that come over here for a BBQ at night sometimes freak a little, saying that the bats are "dive-bombing" them. Nope. The bats are after what's after YOU.

Originally posted by argentus
They're currently using permethrin-based insecticide for adults, as well as a larvaecide in some standing water.

permethrin is a powerful posin. when i worked for my dad on the farm i was his spray tech. and this chemical was one of the few we used that we had to be in full protective gear to use. scarry stuff. its only volitile for about 24 hours but it is strong enough to kill a cat or small dog in fairly low doses..

we used to ride our bikes behind the spray trucks because riding in the fog was cool!!! ( Kentucky in early 70's)

God only know what we kids inhaled in those days, I might sprout a third arm at any moment