Posted on 05/12/2022 10:16:01 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Bryan Ruiz moved his family into a newly built home in this Central Valley farming center seven months ago and almost immediately found they were under assault.
Mosquitoes bit and harassed them in broad daylight. He looked around, trying to find a water source where they were breeding, and noticed a freshly dug pipe, meant to drain water from the backyard to the front. He lifted its cap and inside found a small puddle in the drainage line, which didn’t have enough slope to fully empty.
He grabbed a turkey baster and drew water, already knowing what he would find: the larvae of Aedes aegypti, one of the greatest threats to humans on the planet.
Ruiz knew what he was looking for because he is in charge of a newly formed team that spends the summer months traveling around northern Tulare County to combat the invasion of Aedes aegypti, a mosquito capable of infecting humans with the deadly diseases of dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika.
(Excerpt) Read more at santacruzsentinel.com ...
I cannot fathom anything that could possibly go wrong
I’ve seen this movie.
It doesn’t end well......................
When I was a kid, a truck used to come around after dark on Summer nights spraying something; we assumed it was for mosquito control. What were they spraying?
Get bats, swifts and dragon flies.
Or one of these dealies...
https://www.lowes.com/pd/BLACK-FLAG-0-09-Watt-Battery-Powered-Bug-Zapper-Racket/1000687658
I just moved to Wyoming from Arizona and I no longer have any fear of tropical mosquitoes. I suspect the depopulation Nazis are trying to genetically engineer this Egyptian mosquito to adapt it to cold climates.
Paraquat!
They were most likely spraying DDT. I think DDT is effective and, if used judiciously, is pretty safe. Tragically it was way over-used and caused problems.
LOL, that would get rid of a lot of parasitic organisms! I think the environment might be to hostile to robotic life, though. Like landing a rover on Venus or Mercury.
That’s an herbicide.
“It’s not nice to fool with Mother Nature”
Citronella (Not lemongrass, but a close relative to it) makes an excellent mosquito deterrent
Bonus points: you can make your own citronella oil by processing it.
Use nature against nature.....
Put it in your water (Or house plant pots) and they will do a hunt and destroy on the mosquito larvae.
"Mosquito Bits is a highly selective microbial insecticide (BTI) effective against mosquitoes in a variety of habitats. Kills the larvae of mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus, Zika Virus, Chikungunya, Encephalitis, Malaria, and Dengue Fever. Spread over the surface of water to release the biological mosquito larvicide. This larvicide gradually settles in the water where it is eaten by mosquito larvae growing there. The BITS will give a quick kill of existing mosquito larvae within 24 hours. Re-apply every 7 to 14 days for maximum control. Mosquito Bits are approved for application to areas that contain aquatic life, fish and plants. BITS may also be applied to areas used by or in contact with humans, animals, horses, livestock, pets, birds or wildlife. Apply to standing water found near the home such as water gardens, tree holes, stock tanks, animal watering troughs, rain barrels, bird baths, roof gutters, etc. Perfect for areas where standing water cannot easily be controlled such as fallen leaves, swampy areas, and vehicle tracks in turf. Sprinkle over bromeliads, pitcher plants, and other areas where small amounts of water turn into mosquito breeding grounds. Harmless to plants, pets, beneficial insects, honeybees, fish or wildlife. Mosquito Bits are also approved and labeled as a biological control for fungus gnat larvae in planters and soils. Kills fungus gnat larvae in soil without etc...
Of course, to the left, the answer to deficits is more spending, the answer to mosquitos is to release more mosquitos.
“...What were they spraying?...”
-
Probably was Malathion back then.
I think they use Deltamethrin now.
I know. I was being silly, it just came up in the news the other day about class action suits...
Sorry!
DDT.
As kids in the 50s, we used to ride our Schwinn bikes behind the truck, in the fog, and suffered no ill effects.
"The mosquito's a clever little bastard. You can track him for days and days until you really get to know him like a friend. He knows you're there, and you know he's there. It's a game of wits. You hate him, then you respect him, then you kill him."
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