Mosquito Control In Town Of Reading

Reading MA

27 July, 2021

7:02 PM

Description

Press release from the Town of Reading: July 26, 2021 The East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project is planning to use a truck mounted aerosol sprayer to reduce mosquito populations. Spraying will be done between dusk and 11:30 PM. On Thursday, July 29, 2021, spraying is scheduled for areas of Reading in the vicinity of Pearl Street, Charles Street, Haverhill Street and Libby Avenue. If postponed, spraying will be rescheduled for the following week. The mosquito control product being used is Zenivex E4 (EPA Reg No. 2724.807), and it's being applied at 1 oz per acre. Zenivex E4 is a non-ester pyrethroid and is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a reduced risk pesticide. Mosquito control applications of Zenivex E4 do not pose a significant risk to people or their pets due to the low toxicity and the small amount used to control mosquitoes. As with any pesticide, people should minimize their exposure. If residents see a spray truck approaching, they are advised to go indoors for a few minutes while the spray dissipates. Residents are also advised to close windows. Beekeepers do not need to take any special precautions since spraying begins after dusk. Zenivex E4 biodegrades rapidly and therefore doesn't build up in the environment. If residents have any questions related to mosquitoes or mosquito control, contact the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project at 781-899-5730. The spray schedule can be found at the Mosquito Control Project website. Click here for the Pesticide Exclusion Form. In 2017, the Massachusetts Pesticide Board approved new regulations governing the pesticide exclusion process. The new regulations eliminated the March 1st deadline and removed city and town clerks as the filing destination for the exclusion forms. The new regulations specify that residents can file for exclusion at any time during the year and the exclusion will become effective 14 days from the receipt of the request. Exclusion requests can be made to the Massachusetts Dept. of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) either by first class mail or by filing electronically on the MDAR website. Pesticide Information Larval Mosquito Control PesticidesAdult Mosquito Control Pesticides Mosquito-Borne Diseases Information West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE or "Triple E") are viruses that occur in Massachusetts and can cause illness ranging from a mild fever to more serious disease like encephalitis or meningitis. There are other diseases spread by mosquitoes that people may be exposed to when traveling in other regions of the world. These include Zika virus, Dengue fever, and Chikungunya. Click here to learn how to protect yourself from illness. More information about Mosquito Control from US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) This press release was produced by the Town of Reading. The views expressed here are the author's own.