Mosquito Spraying Starts This Week

A week-long effort to control mosquitoes in Framingham begins today, April 17.

The East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project will be conducting a helicopter application of the biological larvicide, Bti, to control mosquito larvae over wetland areas. Wetlands currently being evaluated for this application are located by Angelica Drive, Callahan State Park, Fairbanks Road and Palmer Road.

The application is scheduled to begin today and continue through April 25, according to the town's website. The Bti will be applied in a granular formulation by a helicopter flying low directly over the wetlands.

Residents do not need to take any special precautions for this application.

Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis) is a natural bacterium found in soil, according to the notice on the town's website. 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 more information, contact the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project at 781-899-5730.