LCG announces aerial mosquito spraying schedule
LAFAYETTE, La. (Lafayette Consolidated Government)- After an influx of mosquitos in Lafayette Parish following Hurricanes Laura and Delta, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security has coordinated aerial mosquito spraying for the Parish.
The United States Air Force’s 910th Airlift Wing, based in Youngstown, OH, will conduct a spraying mission in Lafayette Parish on Sunday, October 25, 2020.
Spraying was supposed to take place Saturday but due to inclement weather grounding the planes today, the schedule was adjusted.
The operation will take place starting at dusk and will continue for up to five hours. During that time, an Air Force C-130H, modified with the Modular Aerial Spray System (MASS), will disperse the pesticide “naled”.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website, “naled is most commonly applied aerially as an ultra-low volume (ULV) spray.
ULV sprayers mounted on planes or helicopters dispense very fine aerosol droplets containing small quantities of insecticide that drift through the air and kill mosquitoes on contact.
The spray is dilute (only 1-2 tablespoons of naled is applied per acre sprayed) and the amount that ultimately floats to the ground is small and dissipates quickly.”
Spraying during these hours will minimize the effects on bees, butterflies, and other insect populations