Mosquito Spraying to Begin Thursday

The Town of Reading posted the following information on mosquito spraying in town:

The East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project is planning to use truck mounted aerosol sprayers in Reading on Thursday, July 28 between dusk and 11:30 PM.

Areas to be sprayed include streets in the vicinity of Van Norden Rd., Forest St., William Rd., Grove St., High St., and Lowell St. Spraying will also be conducted near West St. between Winslow Rd. and the Wilmington border and by Summer Ave. between King St. and Willow St. If spraying is postponed, it will be rescheduled for Monday, August 1st .

The Project uses a spray formulation containing the pesticide product, Anvil, to control mosquitoes. Anvil contains the pesticide sumithrin, which is a pyrethroid that is classified as a slightly toxic pesticide by the EPA. Mosquito control applications of sumithrin do not pose a significant risk to people or their pets due to the low toxicity of sumithrin and the small amount used to control mosquitoes.

As with any pesticide, people should minimize exposure. If residents see a spray truck approaching, they are advised to go indoors for a couple of minutes while the spray dissipates. Residents are also advised to close windows facing the street. Beekeepers do not need to take any special precautions since spraying begins after dusk.