The air is terrible and we're struggling to breathe. Old and young, everyone has been trapped in their houses or in cooling centers for more than a week. Just as it starts too cool down and the air begins to clear a little we're keeping our fingers crossed for relief. But don't put your mask away yet, the Mosquito and Vector Control folks are about to dump poison on your heads. They are waiting with baited breath for that second where they can fly their spray planes in the clearer air to spray.
What's about to be dumped on your house? Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids. To find out more read this. While pyrethrins may be easily excreted by most mammals, they are considered highly toxic to most fish, tadpoles, beneficial insects and many invertebrates. Those mosquito fish used to eat the mosquitoes in backyard ponds? Dead...
We've written about this before when the vector control bombed our house last year. So much for the beautiful organic garden we're growing in our backyard. Our opinion has not changed much from 2007. The spray is overrated and the health risks are too high to continue after a summer of bad air anyway. In last year's post, we discussed colony collapse and other risks to insects and fish.
Vector control officials are unable to say where or when they'll spray just yet, but it's looking like Elk Grove and the Pocket will be first. If you do not want to get caught by surprise, sign up for email alerts so you can at least have a minute to bring your pets in.
Links of interest:
Stop West Nile Spraying Now
Organic Sacramento
Don't Spray California
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