What are the benefits to our community from mosquito control?

Protection from mosquito borne illnesses.
Foster the quality of life of residents and visitors.
Promote the economic development and tourism of the county.
Facilitate the enjoyment of its natural attractions by reducing the number of pestiferous and disease-carrying arthropods.

Why are aerial sprays conducted?

When adult mosquitoes are observed in high numbers, as detected in monitoring traps or by inspectors, or when an outbreak of mosquito-borne disease occurs.

Where is aerial spraying done?

In western portions of Palm Beach County west of Military Trail where mosquito populations are most prevalent in wet environments and for mosquitoes that are most active at dusk.

What time of day is aerial spraying done?

At night when most mosquitoes are most active, when air temperature is lowest allowing spray droplets to reach close to the ground where mosquitoes are flying, and when honeybees are back in their hives.

How do I know when aerial spraying will be conducted?

Palm Beach County issues press releases to local media prior to conducting aerial spraying. In addition, there is an Aerial Spray Notification Hotline at (561) 642-8775 with up-to-date information. As a public service, notification for individuals seeking to be informed of aerial spray operations is provided through the “Constant Contact” email notification system which you can sign up for by clicking
pbc.gov/erm/Pages/ERM-Email-SignUp.aspx and then, selecting the “ERM Mosquito Control Aerial Spraying Notification” check box.

Does aerial spraying kill bees/butterflies?

Extensive research shows that only insects of the same body mass and nighttime flying behavior as mosquitoes are impacted. There is research that indicates aerial spraying is beneficial to butterflies, by reducing levels of parasitic wasps that plague those insects. Other research indicates beehives are not in any way impacted by aerial spraying.

Do nuisance spray activities have any effect on disease vectors?

Disease vectors are always present, in numbers sufficient to sustain routine transmission among its reservoir hosts, such as birds for West Nile Virus (WNV). Nuisance spray operations have the practical effect of reducing the numbers of vector mosquitoes, in particular the older mosquitoes that are more likely to carry disease. This reduces the overall risk of these diseases spilling over to other organisms such as horses, and to people.

What is “Ultra Low Volume” (ULV) spraying and how does it work?
Aerial ULV spraying is not a “wet spray”, which is what agricultural spraying consists of. The technology of Ultra Low Volume (ULV) sprays is a form of aerosol space spray, invented specifically for stored food spaces. What this means is that deposition of the material on objects in the spray zone is avoided at all costs, because that contributes nothing to the mosquito control efforts underway.

What is used for aerial “Ultra Low Volume” (ULV) spray, and is it harmful to residents or their pets?
The material used for aerial ULV spray is an organophosphate insecticide called “Dibrom” (active ingredient: “Naled” (ˈnā-ˌled). It has been in use in the United States since the 1950’s. The EPA has determined when properly used for mosquito control, it is not harmful to the public, or their pets and livestock. It undergoes EPA registration renewal every 15 years, or more frequently when requested by the EPA. It is currently under review by the EPA for its safety to the public, which has yet to be completed. This product has several advantages, one being its extremely short half-life, degrading in hours due to exposure to water and/or sunlight, and another being its capacity to avoid triggering resistance to insecticides in mosquitoes.