Mosquito Spraying in Nassau County

By Andrew Ehinger

It was not what county officials expected. An end of summer spike in mosquito pools containing the West Nile Virus. But there it was--49 pools testing positive for the virus. Now Nassau will begin spraying from the air and ground in the areas where the mosquitoes were discovered. Click here for the areas to be sprayed.

The county says it's not taking any chances this time around and was given the OK from the state to begin the application of Scourge (Resmethrin) by air and on the ground. There has been lots of debate on the safety of Scourge, but health officials say it's benefit outweighs its downsides if used properly. In fact, they tell me the concentration is so diluted that only a third of a teaspoon is used per acre from the air.

Still the county recommends staying indoors during the Ariel and ground applications, to bring in children's outdoor toys or pet food dishes that may be exposed to the spray, and set air-conditioners to re-circulate.