Santa Clara County Using Helicopters To Spray For Mosquitos

SANTA CLARA COUNTY (KCBS) — Santa Clara County Vector Control will spray insecticides by helicopter on Tuesday morning to prevent the emergence of adult mosquitoes, according to an agency press release.

The spraying was set to begin at 8 a.m target Alviso Marsh, Smith Yard Marsh, New Chicago Marsh and Owens Corning Marsh.

Vector Control officials said the aerial treatment to is necessary because the areas are extensive and would be difficult to treat from the ground.

No homes or businesses are in the areas to be sprayed.

The probability that "summer salt marsh mosquitoes" will become adults soon if untreated is high due to field conditions and population growth trends, officials said.

"This is not the only day biting mosquito we're looking for this year," said Vector Control manager Russ Parman.

"We're also looking at for smaller mosquitoes with breed in just about any container of water."

The salt marsh mosquito, known as Ades dorsalis lays its eggs in the moist soil just above the water line where they can remain for years—even after years repeated flooding.

Although the species has not yet been shown to transmit West Nile Virus, it's known to bite viciously during the day and fly 5 miles from its breeding grounds.

Vector control officials said the water-based chemicals they will use are environmentally safe products and pose no risks to people or animals.

The agents used are methoprene, an insect growth regulator and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti)—a natural bacteria that, when consumed by mosquito larvae, produces a insecticidal protein that kills it.