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Extensive Spraying For Mosquitoes Could Kill More Than Pests

Oneida County Land & Water Conservation

There's been renewed interest in controlling mosquito populations due to diseases they bring to humans, animals and birds. Locally, there's been a call to be careful otherwise you kill off other insects that are beneficial.

Baerbel Ehrig Pollinator Project Coordinator for Oneida county says people have turned to larger spray applications. She says while effective, that spraying kills more than mosquitoes. Ehrig says there's been a 50 percent decline in some insect populations, including pollinators that are needed to keep our food growing. She says a first step is to look around the yard and get rid of anything where water could pool up, a prime mosquito breeding ground. Ehrig says if the mosquito problem is so bad you need to spray, look toward more environmentally-friendly products...

"Just rethinking the whole concept of what is really needed and what can I do so I don't need to use an insecticide spray that's going to affect many more species than just mosquitoes..."

Ehrig says repellant and longer sleeves also work as mosquito bite prevention. She says habitats that attract birds, bats and dragonflies also help reduce mosquito populations.

Ehrig says they have a list of environmentally-friendly sprays and other information on the Oneida County Land & Water Conservation website.

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