Spraying will be conducted during the evening of Wednesday, September 17 , conditions permitting, in West Cornwall Township, North Cornwall Township and South Annville Township.

“The pesticide has no impact on human health and breaks down very quickly in the environment. Spraying will be directed onto vegetation and in wooded areas,” Sherman said. “Adult mosquito control is an important component of an Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) system.”

Handheld and backpack spraying equipment will be used to conduct the spraying. Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management of Roselle, Ill. will perform the work. They will use the product Anvil 2+2 applied as a rate of 0.6 ounces per acre sprayed from the handheld for Ultra Low Volume (ULV)treatments. The product Flit 10EC will be applied at a rate of 17.3 ounces per acre for the backpack barrier treatments.

“These are concentrations significantly below what someone would use spraying a commercial insect control product in their home,” Sherman said. “This product is designed to kill adult mosquitoes, while posing no danger to people, animals or plants. This material has been used safely to combat adult mosquitoes in New York and other areas where there has been concern about West Nile Virus.”

The Lebanon County Conservation District has been monitoring the mosquito breeding locations and has performed larvaciding activities throughout the county as well as monitoring adult populations in areas of concern. DEP and County West Nile Programs also are continuing their mosquito larvae control programs throughout the state. Adult mosquito control is used only in limited situations where these larval controls are unable to prevent adult populations that put the public at risk for WNV transmission.

Certain species of mosquitoes carry West Nile Virus, which, when transmitted to people, can cause West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can result in an inflammation of the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all residents of areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk of getting West Nile encephalitis; persons over 50 years of age have the highest risk of severe disease. It is unknown if immunocompromised persons are at increased risk for WNV disease. Last year, 62 cases of human West Nile Virus were detected in Pennsylvania resulting in nine fatalities.

Remember, there are things that you can do around your home to help eliminate mosquito-breeding areas. Some of these tips include:

· Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers that have collected on your property.

· Pay special attention to discarded tires. Stagnant water in tires are where most mosquitoes breed.

· Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers left outdoors.

· Have clogged roof gutters cleaned every year, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug up the drains. Roof gutters can produce millions of mosquitoes each season.

· Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use. Stagnant water in a wading pool becomes a place for mosquitoes to breed.

· Turn over wheelbarrows and don't let water stagnate in birdbaths. Both provide breeding habitats for domestic mosquitoes.

· Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. Water gardens can become major mosquito producers if they are allowed to stagnate. Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use. A swimming pool left untended by a family on vacation for a month can produce enough mosquitoes to result in neighborhood-wide complaints. Mosquitoes may even breed in the water that collects on pool covers.

· Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property. Mosquitoes may breed in any puddle that lasts for more than four days.

More information on West Nile Virus is available through the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: “DEP West Nile”.

Some websites that can provide information on the products being applied:

For Anvil, see www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc96.htm . Section 1.1.8 will take you to effects on people.

For Flit, see www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc94.htm .

Section 1.1.8 will take you to effects on people.

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2003