Combating mosquitoes in Lawrence village

Spraying scheduled to continue through next month; Zika virus not a concern

Posted

Efforts to keep the mosquito population at bay in Back Lawrence have been ongoing as the village had Lawrence-based Mosquito Seekers treating designated areas every three weeks since June.

Richard Gordon, president of Mosquito Seekers and a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) commercial licensed pesticide applicator, said there are two parts to mosquito control that include spraying insecticides and practicing simple habits such as emptying the lid of a garbage can when rain water collects in it, avoiding overwatering with sprinklers, cleaning out birdbath water and keeping swimming pools treated and circulating.

“We work with the village in helping them identify what they can do to reduce mosquito problems,” Gordon said. Treatment areas in Lawrence include: end of Lakeside Drive South, Willow Way and Tanglewood Xing, surrounding areas of Sage Pond, end of Yacht Basin Road, end of Stable Lane, Edward Bentley and Oxford Place, end of Daniel Cox Road, Atlantic Avenue and Rutherford Lane, Burton Lane, Club Lane and the pond area between Martin Lane and Lawrence Avenue. 

According to Gordon, Mosquito Seekers follows all the state’s DEC regulations, uses U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved insecticide and treats approximately 10 acres of Village of Lawrence owned properties during mosquito season, which spans from the beginning of May through the end of September. He added that they do not spray pesticides close to bodies of water, such as Sage Pond, and instead use an organic mosquito control product to ensure ecological safety.

On Daniel Cox Road, a resident named Diane said: “There’s still mosquitoes, but they’re not as bad as prior to their spraying. I’m outside all the time.”

The EPA states on their website that mosquitoes undergo four stages during their life cycle and three of those include being near or in water It is critical to pay attention to standing water in order to minimize mosquito reproduction.
“Of all disease-transmitting insects, the mosquito is the greatest menace,” according to the World Health Organization’s website. The bites can result in skin irritation and mosquitoes can transmit several diseases.

Gordon said that the area does not have the mosquito that carries the Zika virus at this time. “Mosquito Seekers, together with the Village of Lawrence, has a contingency plan in place to deal with a situation if at anytime local mosquitoes were found to transmit the Zika virus,” he said.

People and pets should stay at least 25 feet away from the area being sprayed at the time of spraying and should stay clear of treated areas for one hour after the treatment, Gordon said.

A treatment was applied on Monday. The last two for the season are scheduled for Sept. 6 and Sept. 19.