Author: Nathaniel

What we can learn from anti-zika spraying

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by Nathaniel Smith, Politics: A View from West Chester, 8/9/16

Zika virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and people.

So, health authorities have been working on the twin challenges of eradicating mosquitoes and educating people.

Transmission of Zika virus from mosquitoes to people (and vice versa) in the continental US has occurred only in one small tropical enclave: a square mile (or now it seems even less) of Miami. Pennsylvanians might worry about catching zika from travelers returning from the Rio Olympics but not from mosquitoes this summer so far north. (1)

However, we should be worrying about the effects of being sprayed with pesticides, of which there is really no safe level for the environment and human exposure.

As someone involved in the current campaign to cut down on both mosquitoes and pesticide spraying in West Chester, I think we can learn a lot from zika, even if it is not currently being transmitted by mosquitoes anywhere near us.

Many insects, like the viruses that attack the human body, reproduce quickly and can develop resistance to whatever we throw against them. As doctors turn from one antibiotic to another to find one that still kills a given virus, so health officials experiment to see what still kills different mosquito species.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito, the chief transmitter of zika, is particularly problematic for traditional mosquito elimination programs and the standard anti-mosquito pesticide permethrin, a pesticide usually applied from ground-based equipment such as trucks. (2)

Aedes aegypti has been acquiring immunity in Thailand (3) to permethrin and even to DDT (which was banned in the US in 1972 after severe impacts such as almost driving our national bird into extinction); and similarly in Mexico (4) and, more recently, in Puerto Rico (5) and now Florida. (6)

As time goes on, scientists have to look farther up the pesticide chain—with further likely risks—to find more effective pesticides. This is not good news….

aerial spraying

read more and see end notes at Politics: A View from West Chester, 8/9/16

These 9 Plants Naturally Help To Keep Mosquitoes Away…

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n.b. Readers, for repellent strategies like these, please let us know of any experiences you can attest to.

from EcoSnippets

If you are trying to enjoy the wonderful healing benefits of nature there is nothing more annoying then mosquitos keeping you from enjoying the great outdoors. Sure they are part of nature and should be respected but that doesn’t mean that they need to be biting you every chance they get.

Unfortunately, many of the ‘remedies’ out there involve spraying chemicals on your body that are not very good for you or the environment either. Continue reading →

Zika Surge in Miami Neighborhood Prompts Travel Warning

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By PAM BELLUCK, New York Times, AUG. 1, 2016,

This excerpt details why we find reliance on pesticides to solve mosquito problems not only undesirable but potentially unreliable:

…Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the director of the C.D.C., said that the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the Zika virus, has proved to be a wily adversary in Wynwood, a crowded, urban neighborhood in north Miami where all the cases were found. The mosquito may be resistant to the insecticides being used or may be able to hide in standing water.

“Aggressive mosquito control measures don’t seem to be working as well as we would like,” he said in a press briefing on Monday.

The authorities had expected additional cases of Zika infection linked to the neighborhood, he said. But officials were particularly concerned by indications over the weekend that “moderately high” numbers of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and their larvae were still being found in a one-square-mile section in Wynwood, an area of warehouses, art galleries, restaurants, bars, apartments and condominiums….

read the full article at New York Times

West Nile Virus identified in mosquito sample in Chester County

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July 19, 2016
Chester County Health Department, News Release #6
For more information call 610-344-6752

West Nile Virus identified in mosquito sample in Chester County

West Chester, PA – The Chester County Health Department is informing residents that a mosquito sample collected in Tredyffrin Township on July 7, 2016 has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV).

This is the first mosquito sample that has tested positive in Chester County in 2016. The Chester County Health Department sets mosquito traps to collect and test adult mosquitoes for WNV as part of routine surveillance. Traps are placed in highly populated areas, known mosquito breeding areas, and in areas where a resident has previously been identified as having a confirmed case of WNV infection. Traps are also placed in response to complaints from residents regarding high levels of mosquito activity. The Chester County Health Department will continue to monitor these areas as well as surrounding areas and will consider mosquito control activities when appropriate.

The chances of contracting WNV from an infected mosquito are small and chances of becoming seriously ill are even smaller. However, the Chester County Health Department encourages county residents to “Make you and your home a bite-free zone”, reducing the risk of West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases. Because mosquito-borne diseases are spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, residents can reduce their risk by using insect repellent and other personal protection and getting rid of standing water on their property.

The Health Department advises:

Limit outdoor activities at dawn and dusk during warmer months since most types of mosquitoes bite most frequently during these times. Be aware though that some types of mosquitoes bite most frequently during the daytime.

Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and socks. Choose clothing that is light colored and made of tightly woven material.

Stay in places with air conditioning and window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.

Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are overseas or outside. Continue reading →

Project TENDR: Targeting Environmental Neuro-Developmental Risks. The TENDR Consensus Statement

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NIH, Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 124, issue 7, July 2016

SUMMARY: Children in America today are at an unacceptably high risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders that affect the brain and nervous system including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disabilities, and other learning and behavioral disabilities. These are complex disorders with multiple causes—genetic, social, and environmental. The contribution of toxic chemicals to these disorders can be prevented. APPROACH: Leading scientific and medical experts, along with children’s health advocates, came together in 2015 under the auspices of Project TENDR: Targeting Environmental Neuro-Developmental Risks to issue a call to action to reduce widespread exposures to chemicals that interfere with fetal and children’s brain development. Based on the available scientific evidence, the TENDR authors have identified prime examples of toxic chemicals and pollutants that increase children’s risks for neurodevelopmental disorders. These include chemicals that are used extensively in consumer products and that have become widespread in the environment. Some are chemicals to which children and pregnant women are regularly exposed, and they are detected in the bodies of virtually all Americans in national surveys conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vast majority of chemicals in industrial and consumer products undergo almost no testing for developmental neurotoxicity or other health effects….

keep reading at Environmental Health Perspectives

The Shaker Heights plan

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Shaker Heights, Ohio, initiated a successful mosquito control program in 2002. They outlined a plan with 6 levels of response, with the highest being the type of health crisis that suggests that pesticide spraying is necessary. Their Health Director, Sandi Hurley, reported to Don’tsprayme in June of 2016 that, during the 14 years that these guidelines have been in place, Shaker Heights has had no serious cases of West Nile virus and no health emergency that required spraying. Continue reading →

EPA: Pesticide Environmental Stewardship

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Managed by the US EPA, “The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP) is a voluntary membership program that promotes the adoption of innovative, alternative pest control practices such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). In becoming a PESP member, you join more than 250 nationally-recognized organizations committed to reducing the human health and environmental risks associated with pesticide use.”

From the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program Application Form:

By completing this application for membership in PESP, we affirm our commitment to the following:

We believe that environmental stewardship is an integral part of pest management practices and will continue to work toward pest management practices that reduce the risks to humans and the environment. As part of our voluntary participation in the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program, this organization will develop a Strategic Approach to pesticide risk reduction and implement annual Activities that fall within this Strategic Approach.

We understand that in return, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will seek to foster, fund and promote, through research, education, and other means, the adoption of alternative pest management technologies and practices that enhance pest management and reduce pesticide risk.

The Chester County Health Department is a member of PESP.

The mosquito life cycle

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CDC life cycle

Life cycle description from the EPA:

All mosquito species go through four distinct stages during their life cycle:

egg – hatches when exposed to water
larva – (plural: larvae) “wriggler” lives in water; molts several times; most species surface to breathe air
pupa – (plural: pupae) “tumbler” does not feed; stage just before emerging as adult
adult – flies short time after emerging and after its body parts have hardened.

The first three stages occur in water, but the adult is an active flying insect. Only the female mosquito bites and feeds on the blood of humans or other animals.

After she obtains a blood meal, the female mosquito lays the eggs directly on or near water, soil and at the base of some plants in places that may fill with water. The eggs can survive dry conditions for a few months.

The eggs hatch in water and a mosquito larva or “wriggler” emerges. The length of time to hatch depends on water temperature, food and type of mosquito.

The larva lives in the water, feeds and develops into the third stage of the life cycle called, a pupa or “tumbler.” The pupa also lives in the water but no longer feeds.

Finally, the mosquito emerges from the pupal case after two days to a week in the pupal stage.

The life cycle typically takes up two weeks, but depending on conditions, it can range from 4 days to as long as a month.

The adult mosquito emerges onto the water’s surface and flies away, ready to begin its life cycle.