In anticipation of the Fourth of July holiday, the City of Pierre Parks Department will begin mosquito fogging in residential areas this week.
If weather conditions are favorable, fogging of residential areas will begin at dusk on Wednesday, July 1 and continue at dusk on Thursday, July 2. This is the first round of residential fogging for the season, but the Parks Dept. has been battling mosquitos, including fogging public properties, since this spring.
The City uses a three-pronged approach to reduce the mosquito population. This includes removal of stagnant water to eliminate mosquito breeding habitats, larviciding to kill mosquitos before they hatch, and adulticiding to eliminate adult mosquitos.
Tom Farnsworth, City Parks and Recreation Director, says that citizen engagement is key to controlling the mosquito population.
“The most effective way to eliminate mosquitos is to eliminate their breeding ground,” said Farnsworth. “City crews can’t touch personal property. So it’s important for our residents to remove standing or stagnant water from their personal property.”
Farnsworth went on to say bird baths, tire swings, and other outdoor containers that collect water can produce thousands of mosquitos. Additionally, the mosquitos will breed as long as conditions are favorable; so, Farnsworth says it’s important to continue to remove standing water throughout the summer.
To eliminate mosquitos in parks, at the golf course, and in other green space with heavy foliage the city removes the stagnant water it can, uses larvicide to treat the breeding grounds it can’t remove, and then applies a ground spray or fogs the remaining mosquitos.
Fogging is generally done at dusk and can only be done when the wind speed is less than 10 miles per hour.