June 10, 2022 |
Warmer weather and the return of summer means mosquitoes are beginning to make their annual appearance. In Saratoga, ground level fogging operations will begin tonight.
Public Works Director Jon Winter said the operation involves two pickup trucks, each with a ULV fogging unit mounted inside the bed.
Winter said the two operators can cover the whole town in a single evening.
ULV sprayers turn the liquid mosquito-killer into very small droplets that float in the air and kill flying insects on contact. Only small quantities of adulticide are needed. When applied correctly mosquito control programs do not pose a health risk to the general population, and are approved for municipalities. Typical applications use less than three ounces per acre in solution.
Winter said the fogging operation in Saratoga involves a dilution at the bottom of the recommended scale, one ounce per acre.
The two fogging units drive up and down the streets and alleyways in town. Winter said that operators are trained to turn the fogger off with a controller inside the truck if they see people in the street or in backyards.
While the chemical used to kill mosquitoes is not harmful to pets, Winter said bees are a concern. Some residents maintain hives. The public works director said operators are trained to avoid areas where hives are located.
The ground level fogging operations may be the only mosquito control available to the town this summer. In past years, planes fitted with a ULV have been hired to make low flyovers spraying the material over the town. Last year, the contracted pilot backed out at the last minute. Winter said finding a pilot this year has been challenging, as well.
In the meantime, fogging operations begin tonight. Winter told town council this week that he upped the pay for operators to $20/hour to make it worth their while.
