Mosquito Bytes: Coachella Edition
When you hear the name Coachella, the first thing that may pop into your head is the music and arts festival that is held there in the spring. However, it’s more than just a once a year destination; it’s an area where people work, live, and mosquitoes can carry diseases. ADAPCO interviewed their Laboratory Manager to see how effective they have become in larviciding.
Coachella Valley Puts WALS™ with VectoBac WDG to the Test
The Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District is responsible for providing vector control services for 2,400 square miles of desert valley in Southern California. Laboratory Manager, Jennifer Henke, says 2016 was the year the operation changed—when Aedes aegypti was added to its list of detected species capable of transmitting viruses to people, alongside Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tarsalis.
Fortunately, the District has not yet been affected by the diseases that Aedes aegypti transmit, yet they are diligent in taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of any illness. This prompted the decision to implement WALS™, a biorational application strategy to control container mosquitoes in cryptic habitats, using VectoBac® WDG. “We find Aedes aegypti everywhere,” Jennifer says. “So, trying to treat them in the same way as Culex doesn’t work. We need to treat lots of properties at the same time.” …continue reading
Super Effective Sprayer
The A1 Super Duty is a mist blower effectively used with VectoBac WDG in WALS applications to control container mosquitoes in urban environments. These machines come with a 100-gallon tank, which allows for 50-60 minutes of treatment. The Super Duty comes with a wireless remote control that allows you to adjust the variable speed throttle, right to left fan rotation and spray on/off. The digital flowmeter and pressure release allows you to quickly and easily make adjustments to the flow rate if changing dilutions. The A1 Super Duty is …continue reading
