Aerial Mosquito Larvicide Set For 9 Islip Marshes

TOWN OF ISLIP, NY — Summer is here, which means mosquitoes are too, and the Suffolk County Department of Public Works Division of Vector Control is treating marshes in the Town of Islip by helicopter to control mosquito larvae.

The application runs from Wednesday, July 23, through Friday, July 25, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., the county said.

Should weather conditions prevent completion of the work, it will be continued on the next suitable day, a release said.

According to the county, the following marshes will be treated:

• Gardiner Park
• Admiralty/Isbrandtsen
• Scully
• Islip Preserve
• Quintuck Creek
• Heckscher State Park
• Idle Hour
• West Oak Recreation
• West Sayville GC

The pesticides, VectoPrime FG [Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) and Altosid (Methoprene)], will be distributed via a low-altitude helicopter and with granular application.

The pesticides are registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and applied following the required state and federal permits.

No precautions are recommended to prepare for this spraying, as the helicopter will be flying at a very low level over marsh areas and taking other precautions to control drift into inhabited areas. Human exposure from this operation is unlikely and the products involved have no significant human toxicity.