One month after the last aerial larviciding, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is poised to conduct its third and final spray of the summer to reduce mosquito activity and combat the West Nile Virus.
The aerial larviciding will take place in non-residential areas of the Bronx’s Pelham Bay Park, in addition to other locations in Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island, from Aug. 7 to Aug. 9 between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.
There have been no human cases of the West Nile Virus to date this summer. In order to ensure continuous safety against mosquito-borne illnesses, the Health Department conducts multiple aerial larviciding sprays using low-flying helicopters throughout the summer months.
A Health Department spokesperson told the Bronx Times that this spray will be the final one of the summer. In addition, the spokesperson said that the health department uses traps around NYC to collect mosquitoes and analyze them to see if they have WNV.
According to the Health Department, larvicides with naturally occurring bacteria are used to kill young mosquitoes in mosquito breeding grounds – which are usually places will standing water – before they grow into adults.
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