Mosquito - Control Program Endorsed by TORC Newsletter
NEWSLETTER
NATURAL ORGANIC MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAM
Since the people in power are starting to talk about mosquito spraying again, I thought it was time to present my updated recommended plan. This natural organic mosquito control program was first presented to the Dallas County Commissioner’s Court on November 27, 2012.
A Cost Effective Pest Control Program that Works
Aerial spraying of toxic pesticides doesn’t work. It is a waste of time and money. Aerial spraying misses most of the adult insects and all of the eggs and larvae.
What will work is a serious program of clean up and elimination of mosquito larvae. The following should be done by homeowners, businesses and government entities on a year round basis.
PREPARATION: This is the most important piece of the program. Waiting until traps are showing positive tests and people are getting sick is not the proper approach. A quality testing program should continue to provide the necessary data but getting the following steps underway now is the answer.
TRASH: Clean up trash and keep it cleaned up in a more concentrated way than ever is the critical first step. This includes the pick up and disposal of plastic bags, cups, cans, bottles, lids, and other misc. trash. Automobile junkyards are a particularly serious problem. Old tires are specifically a major problem.
DRAIN: Empty all containers, pools, ponds, swamp areas and other bodies of water that contain stagnant water where mosquitoes breed. West Nile (Culex) mosquitoes only breed in stagnant, stinky water.
KILL THE LARVAE: Treat all water holding containers and natural areas that can't be drained with the biological product Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis 'Israelensis'). This step is particularly important for storm sewers, drain lines and other underground and protected areas. Abandoned houses and swimming pools should be high profile targets. Liquid and dry forms of this totally non-toxic material is now available and can be applied with most conventional spray equipment. EPA registered products available for this usage include Aquabac and Summit. As an important part of this program, Bti products should be encouraged by as many groups as possible to help the governmental agencies and the efficacy of the program. They should include but not be limited to schools, churches, scout groups and various environmental organizations.
OIL: In "hot spots" where West Nile mosquitoes have been identified, essential oil products can be sprayed to kill adults and larvae in water. One of the commercially available products that is EPA registered for this use is Essentria.
GAMBUSIA: These tiny mosquito eating fish can be grown very easily as the City of Fort Worth and other cities are currently doing. Gambusia should be made available with proper release instructions and distributed to water features, ponds and creeks across the problem areas.
This program is endorsed by the Texas Organic Research Center.
If you have any questions on this newsletter or any other topic, tune in Sunday 8am -11am (CST) to the Dirt Doctor Radio Show. The phone number for the show is 1-866-444-3478. Listen on the internet or find a station in your area.
Please share this newsletter with everyone in your address book and all of your friends on Facebook and Twitter to help me spread the word on organics.
Naturally yours,
Howard Garrett
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