Bedford is going on the offensive Tuesday and Wednesday nights against this week’s sudden onslaught of mosquitoes.
A staff member at the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project said Tuesday afternoon that truck-mounted apparatus will be spraying virtually the entire town over the next two evenings between dusk and 11:30.
Tonight the general area for aerosol spraying will be south of Concord Road, south of The Great Road, and east of North Road, except for the northern fringe around Hayden Lane and Gould Road.
Those areas will be on the agenda for Wednesday evening, along with the remaining streets west of North Road and north of Concord Road.
If postponed due to weather, spraying will be rescheduled for next week. Mosquito spraying announcements may be found on the town Health Department’s website: https://www.bedfordma.gov/health-department.
“Recent record rainfall followed by hot and humid temperatures provide ideal conditions for mosquito breeding and have resulted in increased mosquito populations in the area,” according to a statement from the Health Department.
Officials reported that mosquito surveillance traps on the eastern side of town have shown elevated mosquito populations. The department also acknowledges receiving calls from residents in West Bedford about a surge in mosquitoes there.
The good news is that there has been no confirmation of mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus or eastern equine encephalitis, the department said.
Local health officials work with the state Department of Public Health and the East Middlesex project to monitor local mosquito populations for those illnesses.
To control mosquito larvae, each spring East Middlesex conducts a helicopter application of biological larvicide to wetland areas in town when weather allows. Also, each summer the Department of Public Works treats hundreds of catch basins. And based on data from five mosquito trap locations, East Middlesex employs the truck-mounted spraying events targeting adult mosquitoes. The project will continue to trap and test local mosquitos through September.
The Health Department described “common-sense precautions” to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne diseases:
“Mosquito-proof your property. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to develop by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains, empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change the water in birdbaths frequently. Keep mosquitos outside by installing tightly-fitting screens on all windows and doors.”
“Be aware of peak mosquito hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during the evening or early morning. Otherwise, take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing.”
“Clothing can help reduce mosquito bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.”
“Apply insect repellent when outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30 percent or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets, and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.”
For additional prevention tips visit https://www.bedfordma.gov/health-department/news/mosquito-prevention-dur… Information about current mosquito activity in Massachusetts can be found on the mosquito-borne disease page on the MDPH website at https://www.mass.gov/mosquito-borne-diseases.
Additional information on mosquito services in Bedford and mosquito-related materials are available by contacting the Bedford Health Department at 781-275-6507 or by accessing the Health Department website at: https://www.bedfordma.gov/health-department.
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
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