11 replies to this topic

[Jamiesname]

I was sitting outside tonight waiting to see if any Camponotus would fly when I heard the mosquito control truck coming down the road. It made me wonder if all the insecticides it sprays going down the road, on all the roads in town, would kill off any ants flying around? Does anyone else live in a city/town that sprays for mosquitoes on a weekly basis? How does it affect ants flying around that same time?

[Canadian anter]

Probably would

[T.C.]

A mosquito control truck? I can't say I have heard of that. But if they are spraying something in the air to kill mosquitoes, there probably won't be many Camponotus flights in that area.

[Jamiesname]

A mosquito control truck? I can't say I have heard of that. But if they are spraying something in the air to kill mosquitoes, there probably won't be many Camponotus flights in that area.

Yeah, it's a truck with a big tank of insecticide that sprays into the air as it drives down the road to kill off the mosquito population. I always hated the idea of breathing in the chemicals, but I never considered it's effect of Camponotus flights until last night.

[rbarreto]

That has got to be devastating to the surrounding ecosystem.

[nick2253]

I'm curious if you know what insecticide they are spraying.  According to the CDC, each locality determines its own insecticide, and supposedly it only kills the larvae, so I'm wondering if it would have any impact on ants at all.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/...d-FactSheet.pdf

[BobJ]

I'm curious if you know what insecticide they are spraying.  According to the CDC, each locality determines its own insecticide, and supposedly it only kills the larvae, so I'm wondering if it would have any impact on ants at all.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/...d-FactSheet.pdf

According to the pdf you referenced the trucks fogging for mosquitos most likely are targeting adult mosquitos using adulticide sprays.

     "Adulticide sprays immediately kill flying mosquitoes. Larvicide sprays kill mosquito larvae that hatch from eggs and lasts longer than adulticide sprays."

 

Searching adulticide sprays used for mosquito control one comes up as naled which one article states... "Because naled is an insecticide, invertebrates such as insects, water fleas, and spiders could be affected."

https://www.epa.gov/...osquito-control

[gcsnelling]

Plenty of non target insects will be killed. Naled is an organophosphate, as such it is non selective in what it kills.

[mallonje]

I had the same thought the other night, then I did some research. My town page links to contractor, and they have plenty of information on their site.  

https://www.cmmcp.or...products-we-use

 

It looks like all they are using is specifically targeted towards Mosquitos. 

[gcsnelling]

Bt products are fairly tightly targeted so not a major concern, Methoprene is a growth regulator which can impact several insect groups. more concern there. The other pesticides listed are rather broad spectrum and I would be concerned. They list specific target pests but all that means is that is what they are allowed to use it for, but if it kills mosquitos it kills whatever else it comes in contact with.

[Jamiesname]

According to the city website the following adulticides are being used: Biomist 4+4 (4%permethrin,4% technical piperonyl butoxide) and  Kontrol 4+4 (4.6%permethrin,4.6% technical piperonyl butoxide). These are sprayed into the air as a fog while the truck drives down the road.

[gcsnelling]

Permethrin is a broad spectrum insecticide and will kill pretty much anything it comes in contact with.