It’s going to be a buggy spring, Sarah MacGregor of Dragon Mosquito predicts.
“If winter ever releases its icy grip, we might see mosquitoes in May,” she said.
And not just mosquitoes. Other insect populations, like black flies, are expected to have a strong spring, with record amounts of snowfall melting and filling depressions as temperatures rise.
Dragon Mosquito’s control program is to begin this week in Londonderry, with crews checking swamps, marshes, woodland pools, ditches, storm drains and other shallow, stagnant water for mosquito larvae.
“Hopefully some of the ice will melt,” MacGregor said.
If mosquito larvae are found in water, they will be treated with a bacteria, not the insecticides used to treat adult mosquitoes.
The state begins testing mosquitoes for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus in July. If EEE or West Nile Virus is found in or near Londonderry, emergency spray treatments may be done at the schools, Town Common and local recreation fields.
Control of adult mosquitoes may also be done in preparation for the Old Home Day Celebration at the Town Common, Matthew Thornton Elementary School, the middle school and the high school.
“It’s difficult to predict what the summer will be like,” Macgregor said, noting there were three human cases of EEE reported last summer – in Manchester, Conway and Hopkinton. Two were fatal.
Additionally, horses in the area were found to have EEE, as well as a mule in Candia.
“That tells us that it’s still a very active disease in our area,” MacGregor said. “It all will play out in the water at first, then we’ll see how the summer pans out. If it’s a rainy summer, we tend to see more EEE. But last summer was dry and we still saw EEE. We have to be ready for more EEE.”
If spraying in the Town is necessary, further communication would be provided to residents.
Those who do not want their wetlands treated may use Dragon’s No-Spray Registry online at www.DragonMosquito.com/No-Spray-Registry or write to Dragon Mosquito Control, P.O. Box 46, Stratham, NH 03885. Be sure to include name, physical address, phone number and a description of the property with boundaries.
Residents who would like to have their stagnant water checked for mosquitoes may call Dragon’s office at 734-4114 or email Info@DragonMosquito.com to request the free service.
Any further questions about spray dates, location, materials used, precautions or other concerns should go to Dragon Mosquito by phone or email.