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Uploaded: Thursday, August 23, 2012, 9:05 AM
Aerial spraying for mosquitoes Thursday morning
Palo Alto Baylands to be treated by helicopter early Thursday
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by Sue Dremann
Palo Alto Online Staff
Photos
 
| A helicopter assault against the summer salt-marsh mosquito in the Palo Alto Baylands began on Thursday, Aug. 23, at about 7 a.m., the Santa Clara County Vector Control District has announced.
The district is trying to control breeding of the aggressive mosquitoes, which have plagued residents in Palo Alto and Menlo Park for several weeks.
Officials said spraying by helicopter is necessary because the areas where the insects breed are extensive and difficult to treat from the ground. The chemicals pose little danger to people, and there are no residences or businesses within the area to be treated, vector control officials said.
The mosquito -- Aedes dorsalis -- lays its eggs in the moist soil just above the water line. The eggs can lay dormant for a decade, even after repeated flooding. High tides and seasonal rains, together with the short days and cooler temperatures of winter, cause the eggs to hatch when they are submerged in water, according to officials.
The salt-marsh mosquito has not been shown to transmit West Nile Virus, but it is known to bite viciously during the day and can fly up to five miles from its breeding grounds to feed on humans and other mammals, officials said.
A broken tide wall in the Palo Alto Baylands has allowed water levels to rise and fall in the tidal basin, creating ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. Vector control officials have been closely monitoring the development of mosquito larvae, and current conditions are ideal for eggs to hatch.
Recent adult "fly-offs" have created considerable discomfort for residents and workers in nearby areas, according to officials.
Approximately 150-400 acres will be treated with environmentally safe products: methoprene, an insect growth regulator, and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti). Bti is a natural bacteria that, when consumed by mosquito larvae, activates an insecticidal protein that kills the larvae.
These products act specifically on mosquitoes and are short-lived in the environment, officials said. The products control the immature (aquatic stage) mosquitoes but are not harmful to birds, fish, other insects, wildlife or humans.
Thursday's spraying is different from recent fogging operations that took place in Los Altos. Unlike the very low-volume aerosol that focused on adult mosquitoes, these applications will be applied at 10 gallons of water per acre, to thoroughly cover the marshes, officials said.
Access to the Baylands will be restricted during the spraying, but the area will open to the public immediately afterward, officials said.
Vector Control is encouraging residents to report places where mosquitoes are breeding and take steps to avoid getting bitten, such as wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants and applying repellent when outdoors where mosquitoes are biting.
More information about mosquito prevention or the products used in spraying is available at Vector Control or by calling 408-918-4770.
Click here to view the map of the area that will be sprayed. Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by Mike Mainiero, a resident of the Menlo Park: Linfield Oaks neighborhood, on Aug 25, 2012 at 4:47 pm TV news this month reported West Nile now detected locally... both in Atherton (a dead crow) & in Menlo Park (a dead squirrel). Is increased spraying related to this? Are two animal instances significant, or somewhat common? Are "detection chickens" being deployed locally? (Crow could have "passed through" yet contracted disease elsewhere; perhaps even the squirrel, though less likely, I would think. Apparently, chickens first are tested as negative before locating flocks in different neighborhoods; then, if any contract West Nile, confirms local transmission. Also might help detect any pockets of concentration, such as neighborhoods along the creek, etc.)
Also, if what is stated above can be confirmed, perhaps a series of articles might be considered, to educate readers on: what to look for, especially in dead animals; where call/email/website(s) to visit to report; increased awareness on standing water in one's yard; what to do if see conditions ripe for mosquito's around town; steps to protect people, especially children & seniors; symptoms to watch for in oneself and/or family; anything specific, especially if one's children take ill, as to immediately visit the doctor when one otherwise might let a day or two pass first; are pets susceptible? Are schools aware? Any specific student/parent awareness education plans in place at MPCSD, M-A HS, other schools? Lessons learned from other communities where West Nile has been for some time?
Or, is West Nile less of an issue/concern than was first reported in other regions, such as the East Coast, perhaps a decade or so back?
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