City conducts mosquito fogging

Say goodbye to those pesky mosquitoes, because the Green River Parks and Recreation Department have started mosquito fogging.

Monday was the first day for residential mosquito fogging and it will continue throughout the week. The fogging is occurring between 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday night the Parks and Recreation department fogged downtown. Tuesday they sprayed the tree streets area.

Wednesday they are spraying the areas by the horse corrals, Lincoln Middle School and up East Teton Boulevard. Thursday they are spraying by the Mission at Castle Rock Rehabilitation Center up into the state streets. Friday the fogging will conclude with spraying the remaining state streets.

Since they cannot spray the whole town at once, they split it into sections and worked their way across town.

Fogging started in parks and city owned property before residential spraying started. Parks and Recreation Maintenance Operator Doug Stewart said spraying in parks started first because of the summer time events.

They started spraying the parks at the same time they usually start spraying each summer, but the amount of rain the area has gotten delayed residential spraying. “When it rains, the water carries some of the spray away,” Parks and Recreation Employee Debbie Hansen said. Also, mosquitoes live in warmer temperatures so the late rainy spring the area experienced delayed the appearance of adult mosquitoes.

The department began mosquito control flyovers June 18. The flyover is used in large areas of standing water and it targets mosquito larvae. A briquette form of the larvicide is being used in smaller areas of standing water. The final flyover of the season is scheduled to take place Sunday.

The chemical used for the fogging is an ultra-low volume formulation of Permethrin and is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use on adult mosquitoes. The National Pesticide Information Center’s website says Permethrin is an insecticide made of synthetic chemicals. Permethrin can be applied to clothes, skin, livestock and animals, buildings, lawns and crops. The spray is used to kill mosquitoes, ticks and similar insects.

The spray does not harm people and other non-target animals, but residents may want to close their windows the night their neighborhoods are being sprayed because it may have a scent while spraying is in process.