Summer is here, and unfortunately, that means mosquitos are too. Thankfully, the City of Laramie has a plan to stop those pesky bloodsuckers from causing too many problems in town.

Tomorrow, June 3, the City will begin spraying granular larvicide to curtail Laramie's mosquito population. If "larvacide" sounds like a sketchy word, don't worry. The City has confirmed that the product they are using is safe for people and the environment in a press release. Here are the City's Parks Department's details about the product called Bacillus thuringensis israelensis (Bti).

"The product is environmentally friendly and will not harm fish, amphibians, livestock, or other aquatic invertebrates. If weather conditions are not favorable for the application, it will be postponed until weather conditions allow for the application."

The primary treatment areas are the city's southwest end of the Big Laramie River, the Big Laramie flood plain southwest and north of the city, and the irrigated spots by Laramie's North Canal and Pioneer Canal.

You can find more information on the aerial application by clicking here.

Want to stay mosquito-bite-free this summer? Here are a few tips from the EPA and CDC:

  1. Use an EPA-approved insect repellent like Off, Repel, or Cutter.
  2. If you don't like using Deet (or can't), you can switch out for a botanical spray that contains lemongrass, eucalyptus, and citronella. Most major brands of mosquito repellents carry Deet-free versions.
  3. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants at peak mosquito times near dawn and dusk or around water.
  4. Use screens to keep mosquitos outside (doors, windows, tents.)
  5. When outside, burn citronella candles or torches.
  6. Eliminate standing water around your house. Common areas for standing water include toys, puddles, and clogged rain gutters.
  7. Use bug-zapping yellow lights outside during peak mosquito season. Note that yellow lights don't prevent mosquitos but do attract them better than traditional bug zapper bulbs.

 

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