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The Norfolk County Mosquito Control District (the District) has announced plans that in a two-day window between April 18 to April 28, it will conduct helicopter applications of the biorational larvicide Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) to control mosquito larvae in Westwood and surrounding towns.
Larvicide is defined by the District as products that include Bti which target immature mosquitoes. Larvicide products are distinct from adulticide products which target adult, flying mosquitoes.
The larvicide applications will be conducted over specific large wetlands in the Towns of: Avon, Bellingham, Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Dover, Foxboro, Franklin, Holbrook, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Milton, Needham, Norfolk, Norwood, Plainville, Quincy, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, Westwood, Weymouth, and Wrentham.
The District notes that because the timing of the applications is weather dependent, it cannot be more specific as to the exact dates for when the larvicide will be applied.
The trade name of the granular formulation of Bti that the District will use is called, VectoBac GS (EPA Reg. No. 73049-10). The District emphasizes that this is not a spray. The District's website describes the VectoBac GS product as a consisting of granules.
The District's web page states, "Bti . . . are naturally occurring organic microbes found in soil and offer the most environmentally friendly method of mosquito control as they are very effective against mosquitoes but have extremely few non-target effects."
Residents with questions can contact District Director David Lawson at (781) 762-3681 or the Boards of Health of the affected towns. Information is also available at www.norfolkcountymosquito.org.
