Spray Schedule
Regularly scheduled fogging operations are at an end for this season.
Want to post this notice? Here is a flyer you can print out suitable for posting. Click the button on the dividing line between the text and the menu on the left to hide it and get a one-page sign.
We will be using Biomist 3+15, which contains a synthetic pyrethroid shown to be effective against malathion-resistant mosquitoes. Please take precautions not to breathe in the fog, and cover fish ponds if you have them. Close windows and turn off air conditioning for 1-2 hours until the mist completely settles. Click here for a printout on precautions to avoid unnecessary pesticide exposure.
Click on Report Mosquitoes if you think you have large numbers of mosquitoes.
Comments
All,
I hope people are not being confused. From some recent posts and updates there are some that might argue that it is Bio-Mist, and not spraying in general, that is ineffective. They might be tempted to call for a return to Malathion. This is not correct. Let me clarify from what I understand.
Bio-Mist is actually "more" toxic (to mosquitoes, not humans) with a better knock-down rate than malathion. Pyrethrin or synthetics are commonly added to cheaper organo-phosphate insecticides to improve knockdown. The previous argument against Bio -Mist wasn't that it wasn't effective, it was that it costs considerably more. While there is no such thing as a "safe" insecticide ("safe poison" being an oxymoron, Bio Mist poses less known risks to the public.
It also kills flying mosquitos just fine... if it actually comes into contact with them, which is the problem. If you don't fog an entire area evenly you miss a lot of mosquitos and even in the best of circumstances (aerial application with ideal weather) the best you can hope for is about a 50% reduction in the local mosquito population for a short period of time. No matter what the chemical adulticide being used, the problems remain the same. Remember that the switch to Bio-Mist was made by the previous board after it was proven by a CSU study that local mosquitoes were becoming resistant to malathion. Generally there are only two real choice for adulticides: organo-phosphates (Malathion, Anvil etc) and pyrethrin (and synthethic pyrethrin) based chemicals. When mosquitos build up a resistance to one, you use the other. So... spraying too much with Bio-Mist could force a temporary return to organo-phosphates due to resistance. Moderation is the key.
Contrary to the mantra, fogging is not the "least" effective method of mosquito control (doing nothing is the least effective) it should just be the method of last resort. Also the more you spray, the higher the danger to the public and the environment. It is a matter of balancing risks and benefits. It is sort of like bug-bombing your home for bedbugs or lice after you failed to take the steps to prevent an infestation in the first place. It is a tool for cleaning up a mess that got out of hand. The "mess" in this case is just nature taking its course.
So the discussion should not be about types of sprays, but about how to increase the effectiveness of the larvaciding and public education/cooperation program. I imagine that it will come down to money, lots more of it, and the willingness on the part of the ditch companies, and people who irrigate, to change their equipment and methods. If neither is forthcoming in enough volume to make a real change, we will be stuck in this endless cycle of losing the battle at both ends, larvaciding and fogging. And the cultural battle will continue. And the winner will be the mosquito.
I think there has been excellent progress this season with the instituting of the District's own monitoring /trapping program to supplement the underfunded health department effort. Being run mostly by volunteers and donations there is a question of the sustainability of this improvement without some solid new revenue stream. Hopefully the board is working on that. My personal observation from central downtown Hotchkiss is that the level of mosquitoes this year has been roughly what it has been in the past. An acceptable level. Closer to the river is a different story, as it has been in the past as well.
Check out Lulu's excellent explanation of the basics in the "Articles" topic titled "Classic."
Tom Wills
Thanks Melinda. I'm afraid that nothing that is used as an adulticide can be expected to be very effective. Perhaps you are noticing more mosquitoes after the fogging because there just happens to be more breeding at that time. Our tests do show that in town, fogging may or may not bring the numbers down. Sometimes the numbers of mosquitoes caught in traps that are set in the exact same place before and after fogging are higher after fogging, sometimes the numbers drop by very small percents, sometimes the numbers are almost exactly the same! I don't think we'll have enough data this year to really prove anything other than it's a very ineffective way to try and control mosquitoes. Larvicide is the way to go. That and getting people to realize that standing water is public enemy number one. In an area where we bleed the river down to such extremely low levels every summer we shouldn't expect to live completely mosquito free, spray or no spray. However, with more understanding and more cooperation and help from other outside funding for things like automatic sprinklers instead of gated pipe and flood irrigation, maybe putting the ditches in culverts where they run through town, even getting help draining some of our cat tail areas, we should be able to live quite comfortably. It's a big job but as water becomes more and more of a commodity here in the west I'm sure it will happen. Thanks to everyone for helping out this season. Lulu
Lulu, I've had some Siamese twin fruits on both squash & tomatoes.
Lulu,
I welcome spraying and larvaside here on my ranch it helps. I have not had any two ( twinning) cows, chickens or veggies. It has not effected the snakes,frogs, lizards,fish, birds,bees,etc...The spray this year, is not as effective as the spray they used last year. But it does help for a few days after they spray. The larvaside does a great job.
I would like to say a big thanks for spraying my place keep up the good work!!!!!!
Has anyone else noticed Siamese Twin fruits, vegetables, or flowers? I have seen several blossoms that didn't seperate, yellow squash that didn't seperate and my neighbor has some yellow squash that didn't seperate? Odd? I remember one year in Carbondale we had the same thing going on. I had a radio show at the time and lots of people called in to make a comment about it. Does anyone else have chickens here in town in an area that is sprayed often? I'd love to see if you experience the same things that I experience with my eggs. Lulu
http://www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/pesp/grants.htm
Tom and All, This is a grant opportunity?
Nina. Thanks for overview on the McCallister meeting and a very good analysis. Back in the early 1990's Jane and I brought Dr. Gary McCallister to Paonia for a well attended, if ultimately fruitless, educational meeting. It sounds like his (and his son's) philosophy has stayed the same while the District they run has gotten much larger. It used to just encompass the Redlands and river corridor area. The major difference between their district and ours is public attitude. Last resort fogging is more strongly supported by the populace there while we are split nearly in half.
One important point is that in order to do a truly scientific IPM program the District is going to need more funding for feet on the ground. I would start planning now for asking for a mil-levy increase in a couple of years. Grants may be out there for equipment, training, and public education but grants for operations probably are not. Enlarging the district to broaden the tax base and increase effectiveness should also be considered.
The district currently is only able to do science based fogging due to the group of wonderful volunteers that have stepped up to help collect the hard data. This is probably not sustainable for the long term. Thank you Lulu, Mike and all of the volunteers. It's truly amazing that the new administration is doing this well after only three months.
Tom Wills
Too bad there aren't more "bad" neighbors to help with the common good. Remember it's not about the good or bad neighbors. It's about not breeding mosquitoes. It's not hard to do. Treat or eliminate standing water. "Good" job. Over and Out. Lulu
Thank you Nina for such a well written comment. I love it that you picked up on the positive. It's not easy doing what the currant board is attempting to do. It's really important for this change to happen. Science and technology is the measure of our intelligence at this time. When we learn to work with nature instead of against it. Long last change can happen. As we begin to manage our water and therefor our mosquitoes we create a better existence for all because it is after all a question of balance.
Well, I'm definitely happier because this week we're spraying the mesas based on THRESHOLDS (numbers of mosquitoes counted in traps exceeding a set number) rather than relying on a pseudo-election of numbers of pro or anti-spray phone calls on the Hotline. That we have this data is thanks to the hard work of Dr. Mike Smollen and Viva Kellogg, who have been setting and monitoring the traps.
The numbers came in high for Lamborn, Stewart and Bone mesas, indicating that there's still a lot of work to be done identifying and treating breeding sites in those areas. But on Pitkin Mesa the number of trapped mosquitoes came in below the threshold, and so our board decided not to spray there. Hooray!
A decision not to spray an area based on real scientific data! Could that be a first in the history of mosquito control in the North Fork Valley?
I personally will be even happier when the board has a system for better and faster notification--but they're working on it.
Those of us who attended the presentation on Thursday by Gary and Zane McCallister of Grand River Mosquito Control learned that when fogging from trucks is used, the mosquitoes that aren't killed (50% under the best conditions) move out of the way of the spray into unsprayed areas. (Actually, Lulu has been telling us this for years.) So when we spray, we just end up moving a lot of the bugs around--as in, spray the river. they move up into town; spray the town, they move up on the mesas; spray the mesas--well, you get the picture.
We also learned that:
1) The Grand River Mosquito Control District, comprising 75 sq. miles surrounding but not including Grand Junction, has a yearly operating budget of more than $450,000. Our district has 50 sq. miles and a total budget of around $120,000. Conclusion: We are woefully underfunded!
2) The GR District does no spraying from trucks. They consider this the least effective method of controlling the mosquito population. More than 90% of their budget is spent on larviciding. They sometimes (rarely) use aerial spraying of adulticides over hard-to-access areas.
3) The GR District employs 8 larviciders plus a field manager. The larviciders are all college students with an interest in biology. They receive a salary plus college credit. Our district presently has 5-6 larviciders (many of whom are high-school students who leave the job to go back to school in August), 2 spray truck operators and no field manager.
4) Zane McCallister, who runs the GR District, offered to be a resource and/or consultant to our board. So did his father Gary, a retired Mesa College biology professor, who first devised and implemented the mosquito control program for the GR District. I hope the board decides to make use of their knowledge and expertise to move our mosquito control program toward a more effective, less spray-based IPM program.
Suggestion: Why not post the weekly trapping results on the website?
Nina
My neighbor works at the mine and since he was away this morning I went onto his property to investigate his piles of junk; buckets, tires, backhoe bucket, wheelbarrow. Armed with my bottle of dish detergent I squirted it into several containers of standing rainwater and tipped over a few more. I was surprised at how many breeding sources I found. I do my best to keep my yard standing water free within the 3 day period after a rain, but alot of people (like my neighbor) really dont care. Maybe I was trespassing BUT I certainly dont want his mosquitoes visiting me!
I'll be happy when I'm not getting fogged! You are wasting product here at 3rd and Rio Grande. I don't have a mosquito problem. Please notice that I DO NOT WANT TO BE FOGGED! It's bad enough that you invade my air space and force me out. Please stop adding insult to injury! PS On Thursdays the fog from the Mesas comes merrily into town. On its unseen, no smell, a distant warning that is sometimes unheard, belly it rolls into town. It sneaks in the opened windows and wham, burning eyes, closing throat and raging head ache. I'm so jealous of the people who are totally not affected. Many of the people from my generation have tales of playing in the fog. Ah, the good old days. I was one of those. I'm paying for it now. I hope to God that your children don't have to pay no matter how small the price. Over and Out.
I'll be happy when we have spraying triggered by trapping data rather than by phone calls, plus 48-hr. notification.
Nina
So... nobody is happy this year, which shows that the board is doing its best to serve the whole community. I think I can assure you that the vegetables from your organic garden after the spray truck has gone by are probably safer to eat, even without washing, than standard supermarket produce. Of course it is always a good idea to rinse your veggies whether the mosquito truck went by or not. Especially with good, clean Paonia spring water.
I sense a "science" gap between the fear of what could happen and what actually does happen. While the TEDX permethrin report is a good overview it is just a very general summary. Effects from large doses of any chemical cannot be used to extrapolate what the effects of a very small dose would be. For example several vitamins are toxic in large doses. Too much sunshine can cause cancer. Alcohol is a poison but can be used in moderation. Life is fatal.
ULV (ultra low volume) mosquito sprays are calibrated so that toxic levels to humans are never reached. But, avoiding direct exposure is a prudent precaution.
The concern about endocrine disruption, even at, or particularly at, very low exposure levels may be legitimate but it is very new science with one of the pioneers in the field being TEDX founder, our own Dr. Theo Colborn. In the future, science being science, we may find that we made a mistake by spraying permethrin, or that it was one of the better choices we had when managing one health risk against another.
Of course the ideal is a very, very effective larvaciding program, so effective that no fogging is ever (or rarely) needed. In a county where we can't seem to agree that something as generally accepted as building codes are prudent step to ensure safety, it's gonna be a tough road to get all private property owners to take responsibility for improving irrigation so as not to create breeding habitat. Unlined ditches and poor flood irrigation techniques are probably the two biggest breeders of mosquitoes in the valley.
Progress is being made. Patience is the key.
Tom Wills
The Paonia Mosquito Control District is spraying with BioMist 3 +15, brand name for permethrin, a synthetic form of pyrethrin. Here are some facts about BioMist: Permethrin can be breathed into the lungs, absorbed through the skin, or ingested. Permethrin is a neurotoxin. That means it exerts toxic effects on the nervous system, directly affecting the brain. Laboratory studies show exposure can result in impaired motor activity and social behavior, impairment of the immune system, and endocrine disruption. Prenatal exposure to endocrine disruptors has been linked to infertility, ADHD, autism, diabetes, thyroid disorders, and cancer. Children, the elderly (that's anyone over 50), and anyone with a compromised immune system are especially vulnerable. The toxicity of permethrin has been shown to be enhanced in the presence of DEET (an insect repellent). Permethrin adheres strongly and persistently to soil (including household dust) and does not dissolve readily in water. The half-life in soil (time it takes for half of a substance to break down) is about 30 days. On foliage it is 10 days. So, when you hear the spray truck, bring the kids and pets inside, close up all the doors and windows, and turn off the air conditioner. And don't forget to cover the garden, the lawn and the sandbox! Or better yet, call the PMCD at 527-6681 and request not to be sprayed. Nina
There are many improvements this year and for that we are grateful! The problem that still looms over our heads are the many uncertainties. Can we, should we eat the food from our garden, how can we be sure, what about the kids toys outside, they love to play in the dirt and it sounds like the chemicals may be present for at least two days, do we drain the swimming pool on Monday fill it up on Tuesday, drain it again on Thursday because the spraying on the Mesa always sinks into town... We love spending time outside but we wonder if it is safe, it seems that there is so much that is really unknown about the potential impact of these chemicals on children.
I am sorry that the spray schedule is not able to be posted just once a week. I was hoping to get in a routine about checking. I am not used to looking online everyday. I'll try to do my part. I want to thank you for doing yours. You guys seem to be doing a good job. There are about fewer mosquitos at my house. Sure they are still out there, but I can at least move the sprinkler around with out spraying myself. If I will be out longer to do some weeding or something, then I prepare myself.
I just hate to hear that spray truck. If I don't have my windows closed already, I always wonder if I am trapping the Biomist inside because I can't smell it.
Thanks for hanging in there and trying to make this work for everyone.
I am disappointed with the spray notification system. On July 14th I was assuming that spraying would start at sundown, having heard that somewhere before. I was listening to KVNF when the phone rang. Turning down the volume to answer the phone I was startled to hear the spray truck before 7:30 (just like the old days). Why cant you be more specific as to what time the spraying starts? Surely your spray crew knows..... More notices are needed on the radio-- I had heard no warnings after Democracy Now or the weather report. Warnings need to be specific about the time. Now that Im searching, you dont mention time in your phone message or on the web site either. If your spray crew needs hours, why not have them call the people on the pesticide sensitive list (there arent many). Lee Alexander would call people in the past. WebCallicut, weed control, also makes calls. Unexpected spray for certain folks can trigger an asthma attack or other health problems and they need to be well informed.
I also wonder about spraying the Stewart Ditch an hour before sundown. In my experience I still see small pollinators on the blooming weeds at that time. Do you have a mosquito count up by the ditch that justifies spraying at that time of day?
Never saw a mosquito at the bull riding. Man those guys are nuts! Over and Out. Lulu
Dear PMCD,
As you update the website with the fogging schedule, is there any way you could also send the schedule out on an e-mail list?
Do you plan to hire Colorado Mosquito Control for their experienced assisstance with phasing out fogging as the primary control method?
Many thanks for your hard work and energy,
Melissa Jensen
Thank you for getting the word out to us on the change in the spraying schedule. We appreciate all that you're doing.
Thanks guys. I know you are just finding your footing and trying for a balance. Yes, both sides will be unhappy for a while. While there is no data show the true levels of mosquito population at all areas of the District including the Paonia Town Park, conversely there is no data showing that the level of mosquitoes present is below an acceptable level. With no data you need to err on the side of caution.
I am impressed by your willingness stick to science, rather than reacting to the fear from either point of view. Now we just need to get a greatly expanded trap/monitoring program up and going so decisions are clearly based on scientific data. In the future the answer to the questions "Why did you fog?" and "Why didn't you fog?" will be the same? Data.
For now I think it is wise to fog before all major public events in town. The proven effect in doing that is that the fogging will knock down the immediate mosquito population by half and will have a residual effect lasting several days.
Hopefully, someday soon fogging will become an emergency only activity. The bottom line now is a political one. The new board has to convince the the larger community that it is serious about controlling mosquitoes, not just limiting or eliminating the fogging program. If it fails to do this, the next election in only two years could swing back to a less than scientific point of view. I would urge patience and a little pragmatism for the next couple of years. If we get a spike in West Nile cases in the District this summer all hell will break loose.
Update: We are starting to get higher levels of mosquitoes in Hotchkiss. I noticed quite a few last night. 6/29/08
Tom Wills
It's to bad you can't avoid fogging the park on the 7/2/08. Once again this goes back to the days when there was calendar fogging of another kind. Fogging for events. The sooner the district can wean itself from these practices the sooner the general public will be able to accept the fact that the larviciding will and does work. The word on the street is that you aren't really fogging because people can't smell anything. So as long as you are not using malathion there are still people who still think that nothing is being done.
In the mean time people who do understand how Bio-mist or any other ultra low volume fog application works, know that you will only kill the mosquitoes that are flying that exact night. If you're lucky.
So you are left with disbelief on the pro Malathion side and anger on the fog when necessary side. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Lulu
PS Belief based no science nothing but trouble.