Elmhurst has once again begun its annual mosquito control program to prevent mosquito breeding and suppress mosquito populations, including those that carry mosquito-borne disease.
“Illinois identified its first West Nile human case quite early in 2016,” said Emily Glasberg, entomologist for Clarke, the City’s contractor for mosquito control. “The high temperatures and rainfall have created ideal conditions for mosquitoes that carry West Nile to breed, and we are working to interrupt that cycle.”
The city has contracted with St. Charles-based Clarke to conduct its mosquito control operations, which includes surveillance for potential vectors, mapping of mosquito breeding sites, treating storm drains with larvicides to prevent mosquito eggs from developing, and adulticiding, which involves dispersing an ultra-low volume product that interacts with mosquitoes on the wing to reduce adult populations. Clarke also monitors rainfall to determine when large broods of wet weather (nuisance) mosquitoes will be emerging.
Clarke uses surveillance and trap counts to schedule adulticiding applications and the next scheduled application will be on the evening of June 28, weather permitting. Applications are coordinated with York Township, Oakbrook Terrace, Addison, Oak Brook and Addison Township to provide greater control over the larger area. Catch basin larviciding treatments are ongoing.
“While many people have been concerned about the possibility of Zika virus in the area, the mosquitoes that carry Zika are uncommon this far north,” said Glasberg. “Local cases to date have been travel-related, with individuals becoming infected while in areas with active Zika transmission.”
Elmhurst has opted for Clarke’s EarthRight™ service program, which uses highly effective, naturally derived products applied with green delivery technologies, including bicycles and electric vehicles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Joint Statement on Mosquito Control in the United States, “All insecticides used in the U.S. for public health use have been approved and registered by the EPA following the review of many scientific studies. The EPA has assessed these chemicals and found that, when used according to label directions, they do not pose unreasonable risk to public health and the environment.”
Residents who have questions or would like to receive a phone call when there will be spraying for mosquitoes can call the Clarke Mosquito Hotline at 800-942-2555.