Portsmouth To Spray For Mosquitoes This Thursday
For the first time in 20 years, the state will allow a Rhode Island town to spray for mosquitoes.
The state of Rhode Island will allow the town of Portsmouth to spray for mosquitoes this Thursday — a first for any town since 1996, according to "The Providence Journal."
The town of Portsmouth, with permission from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), will conduct adult spraying for mosquitoes on Thursday, Aug. 23, from 7 to 11 p.m.
The spraying is weather permitting, according to a press release from the town.
Narragansett Pest Control will use a broad spectrum adulticide, Anvil 10+ 10- ULV. The spraying will be conducted through the Norseman, Viking, Valhalla, Common Fence and Island Park neighborhoods.
Any resident that objects to the spraying can opt out by calling the Mosquito Hotline at 643-0281 by 3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23.
Residents are asked to close their windows and keep them closed during the spraying process.
For questions about the adulticide being used, residents may call the Rhode Island Department of Health hotline at 401-222-5690 to answer questions between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Island Porkrunner
1:04 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
thank goodness! I must have been bitten more than 100 times on Sunday when I mowed my yard (I live on one of the above mentioned streets!) I had blood all over my arms from squashed bugs!
Jane Wolk Wheeler
2:54 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Does anyone know why only those neighborhoods? I can't walk from my house to my car w/o being attacked! I don't live in those areas....
valhalla resident for life
3:46 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
jane the problem starts at the end of the neighborhood at the salt marshes,hopefully this will stop the from getting to you
Melvillecampground
7:39 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Has all of Portsmouth been tested for Mosquitoes ?
JR
8:37 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Why hasn't this been done yearly? Other states do abatement yearly. Ask Portsmouth Town Council where the hell does the money go from your property tax and vehicle tax.
It sure doesn't get the roads fixed or the skeeter problem taken care of. Mr. Klimm is not a good manager at all. All of the portsmouth area should be sprayed and sprayed yearly. Vote or fire Mr. Klimm. He is worthless!
Pocket more of the taxpayers money you crooks!!!!
Robert E
12:03 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
It goes for wind turbine repair.
J. Lane McMahon
8:45 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Jeremy,
Can you read? Portsmouth has not sprayed for mosquitoes in years. We stopped long before Mr. Klimm got here.
Please note that DEM has the final word on who gets to spray and when.
Working Guy
8:49 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Klimm is nothing more than a pcc puppet. He does nothing but praise this council. He will not spend a dime (unless of course we need to hire an outside firm to hire department heads). He thinks there is no one in town worth promotng or hiring. Mosquitos? You think he really cares? OUT WITH KLIMM AND THE PCC COUNCIL!!! Elections are right around the corner people! Insist that the PCC council go and take Klimm with them!
KO
9:47 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
I think spraying is in general a bad idea, and this article makes the case:
http://nospray.org/flyers.shtml
"Sumithrin is highly toxic to bees and fish. The label on Anvil, the brand of sumithrin used, states “This product is toxic to fish. For terrestrial uses, do not apply directly to water, or to areas where surface water is present or to intertidal areas below the mean high water mark.” It can also remain in the environment --¬ the half-life (the length of time for 50 percent of a substance to disin¬tegrate or to decay into another substance) of sumithrin in soil has been calculated to be as long as 16 weeks (although it can be less than this)."
The article also outlines effects on humans. It is worth the read.
Yes the mosquitoes are awful, but if we are to use chemicals, why not just spray Deet on ourselves and leave the environment untouched? Just wash it off when you come inside. We need the bees to polinate our vegetable gardens. Bees have quite a range - the bees that polinate my garden can be miles away at any given time. We all share the bees - why put them in jeopardy. Same goes for the fish. Consider the runoff from Island Park into the cove.
For these reasons, I completely disagree with Jeremy's desire to spray every year. I believe it is imprudent.
Island Porkrunner
2:58 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
We are way above the high water tide level. I'll let you know if I see many dead bees because I have hundreds of those in my yard as well. They've also taken over.
Priscilla Smyth Thayer
9:52 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
The crickets are still chirping in Island Park but not a mosquito on my front porch...