By Karen Blackledge
The Danville News
June 26, 2009 02:28 pm
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MAHONING TWP. — Greg Molter has another tool to use in his fight against mosquitoes that may be carrying West Nile Virus.
A Rhino vehicle was delivered earlier this month for him to travel to locations which can’t be accessed by his pickup truck.
“I will be able to go different places that need to be treated,” said Molter, the Montour County vector management director.
He will also be able to “take the product I need to the spot to do the treatment and won’t have to go back to reload. I will be able to do it more effectively.”
The Rhino, being lighter than his pickup truck, won’t tear up a property as much, he said.
Montour County bought the vehicle as a multi-purpose vehicles to also be used by the sheriff’s office for search and rescue calls or for other emergencies.
Molter will use the vehicle to spray water soluble larvaecide packets in stormwater basins in Danville today. The packets last for about 30 days.
Since May 1, Molter has been setting traps for mosquitoes at about 108 locations in the county. He chose those areas “since mosquitoes seem to like those areas the past nine years.”
The traps are near where elderly people live, at parks, boat ramps and other sites.
Last year, there were four positive pools for West Nile Virus found in the county. One crow also tested positive for the virus, that historically has killed about 3 percent of infected people and especially senior citizens in the U.S.
Mosquitoes get the virus when they bite or take a blood meal from an infected bird. Mosquitoes transmit the virus to people and animals when taking a blood meal.
Molter has been sending an average of 15 samples a week from his traps for testing in Harrisburg. So far, no positive results have been received this season.
This year, the state has allocated $49,000 for the county program including his salary, equipment and pesticides.
He usually sets five to eight traps a night, using two types of traps with one being a light trap resembling a pagoda with a carbon dioxide light to catch mosquitoes looking for a blood meal and a gravid trap that looks like a tool box sitting on an oil pan. The oil pan contains stagnant, organic water to attract mosquitoes wanting to lay eggs.
If people come upon traps, he said, they should leave them alone.
He expects to spray against the insects soon. The larvaecide he sprays doesn’t affect other organisms in water, he said.
Because he uses a small quantity of spray, in most cases they don’t kill any flying insects except mosquitoes, he said.
He notifies people at least 48 hours before spraying and sprays after dusk.
“The spraying doesn’t affect people or pets,” he said.
He sends test samples to the state Department of Environmental Protection lab through the end of October or later depending upon weather. Some samples are sent on to the state Health Department laboratory.
He offered tips on ways to reduce the number of mosquitoes around a home and neighborhood:
Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water holding containers.
Pay special attention to discarded tires with a used tire the most important domestic mosquito producer in the U.S.
Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors.
Clean clogged roof gutters on an annual basis particularly if leaves from surrounding trees plug up the drains.
Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.
Turn over wheelbarrows and do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths.
Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. Water gardens can become major mosquito producers if allowed to stagnate. Clean and chlorinate swimming pools that are not being used. Be aware mosquitoes can breed in water that collects on swimming pool covers.
E-mail comments to kblackledge@thedanvillenews.com.
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