Credit: Cameron Webb / Unsplash.com
West Nile Virus has been detected in area mosquitoes
Portions of Upper Providence and Lower Providence townships will be among the areas sprayed for mosquito control on Tuesday, Aug. 27. According to the Montgomery County Office of Public Health (MCOPH), the spraying is required as adult mosquitos in the area have tested positive for West Nile Virus, via the collections. MCOPH also reported a West Nile Virus-positive resident in the nearby areas.
The area in and around Lower Perkiomen Valley Park will be among those sprayed. Spraying will begin in the township around 8 p.m., ending around 10 p.m. According to the MCOPH, the spraying is to be done by its own personnel, using the department’s truck. A rain date for the spray will be Aug. 28.
The MCOPH recommends that area residents try to stay indoors during the spray event, remaining there for 15 to 20 minutes after the truck sprays your immediate area. The county also advises that you close windows and turn off fans that bring outside air inside. If a window or central air conditioning unit be switched to only recirculate air, cooling air from inside the home, it is safe to leave on during the spray hours.
According to the MCOPH, the spray used can travel up to 300 feet from the source and “still be effective on mosquitoes.”
“Depending on the wind and air currents, spray residual cold travel father, but not in concentrations that would be effective for mosquito control,” said the release from the county.
While the sprays are designated as safe for pets and local animals when used properly, those wishing to limit a pet’s exposure should keep them indoors during spraying. Any garden fruit or vegetable plants will be unharmed, though the county recommends washing any foods prior to cutting or consuming them.
Local swimming pools or yard items should be unaffected by sprays.
“Mosquito control products are applied at ultra-low volume (ULV) rates,” said the county’s release. “[Spray is] generally below one ounce per acre, and it rapidly breaks down in sunlight.”
The two townships will be treated via country truck. The spray begins near dusk, reports the county, as “research has shown that the mosquitoes involved in West Nile Virus transmissions begin activity at dusk and are the most active for the next three hours.”
“There are 62 species of mosquitoes in Pennsylvania,” said the MCOPH release. “Many of those can be found in Montgomery County. Thankfully, only a fraction of the mosquito species found in Montgomery County are a potential West Nile Virus threat.” The county continues to say it is targeting the species that are most at risk at spreading this disease.
The sprays conducted by the county will only reduce local mosquito populations, but not all. Truck-mounted sprays are limited to a radius the vehicle can access. Other variables such as weather conditions, temperature, and wind speed and direction can also impact the success rate of the spray.
“Only those mosquitoes actively flying during the spray event have the potential to be killed,” said the county’s release.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have only been five cases of West Nile Virus in the state of Pennsylvania in 2024. The closest case reported in a human was in Bucks County, with the other cases including one human case in Schuylkill County, one in western Pennsylvania’s Butler County, and two in the Pittsburgh-local Allegheny County.
For those seeking more advice on managing mosquito populations in the area, visit the County’s online prevention tips here. For a risk assessment provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the pesticides, visit the site here.
Township residents can prevent a risk to West Nile Virus exposure by draining all sources of standing water in and around your yard, dress in long sleeves or long pants, especially at dusk and dawn, and responsibly use insect repellents.
