Helicopter to Be Used in Mosquito Spraying

If you see a low-flying helicopter this week, don't freak out, officials are spraying a "relatively non-toxic pesticide" for mosquitoes.

According to a notice by the Burlington Board of Health, the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project will be conducting a helicopter application of the biological larvicide, Bti, to control mosquito larvae over the Vine Brook Swamp adjacent to Terrace Hall Avenue and Woodside Lane in Burlington. 

The application will take place between April 17 and April 25, the release states.

The Bti will be applied in a granular formulation by a helicopter flying low directly over the wetland. According to the Board of Health, residents do not need to take any special precautions for this application.

The material to be applied Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis) is a natural bacterium found in soil. According to the release the EPA classifies Bti as a "relatively non-toxic pesticide."

Bti is considered a target selective and environmentally compatible pesticide that affects mosquito larvae and a few closely related aquatic insects in the fly family.  Once applied Bti stays suspended in water for 24 to 48 hours and then rapidly biodegrades as it settles to the bottom.

 For further information contact the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project, at 781-899-5730.