Officials with the Santa Cruz County Mosquito and Vector Control said the agency will begin using helicopters to control the county’s mosquito population. The application of mosquito control granules will begin at 8 a.m. today.

The application will take place over 60 acres in and near Watsonville within portions of Watsonville Slough Pinto Lake, Brewington pond, Lake Tynan, Freedom Lake, Struve Slough and Sunset State Beach. It is expected to reduce the emergence of mosquitoes from the shallows of those wetlands.

Mosquito and Vector Control stressed that the application is not to be confused with aerial fogging.

“The application of granules by helicopter is a proven method of controlling larvae, which we have successfully used since the inception of the program in 1993,” the MVC said in a press release.

For information on repellants, to obtain mosquitofish for ornamental ponds, inform officials of unmaintained swimming pools, notify the MVC of biting mosquitoes and to report dead birds and tree squirrels, call the hotline, 1-877-WNV-BIRD.

••••••••••••••••••••

(Published in 6/23/08 edition)

Share on Facebook