Why We Spray?
NOMTRCB utilizes area-wide mosquito abatement as one of many tools to protect public health. Spraying is targeted, data driven, and only used when necessary. NOMTRCB does not conduct area-wide spray treatments on a schedule. We primarily base spraying decisions on our routine surveillance results. We spray to reduce the number of adult mosquitoes that can bite people and break the disease cycle in areas where mosquito-borne diseases have been detected.
Spraying is conducted based on several different factors, including:
- Mosquito-borne disease activity detected in mosquito populations for arboviruses like West Nile virus
- Elevated numbers of disease carrying species, such as Culex quinquefasciatus or Aedes aegypti observed in our routine surveillance traps
- Increased mosquito populations in a specific area
- Increased levels of calls and/ or emails for service or high landing rates of adults observed by our inspectors
Our goal is to reduce risk, not eliminate every mosquito. Spraying is just one part of our integrated mosquito management program that also includes larval control, habitat reduction, surveillance, and public education.
How We Spray?
Area-wide spray missions include applications of either adulticides or larvicides by our trucks and helicopter. Area-wide adulticide applications are conducted in the early morning prior to sunrise or in the evening after sunset. NOMTRCB takes active steps to minimize impacts on non-target organisms and the environment.
Adulticide Truck Larvicide Truck Helicopter
Spray applications are performed using EPA approved products applied at ultra-low volumes (ULV). Adulticide applications target adult mosquitoes that are actively flying during the application period. Larvicide applications target water sources where the immature stages of mosquitoes are present, killing the mosquitoes before they become biting adults. Weather conditions, such as wind speed and temperature, are carefully evaluated before each spray event to ensure applications are effective and responsible. Spray applications are not conducted when it is raining. Our spray equipment is calibrated to ensure the proper flow rate and droplet sizes of the product are being used.
All pesticide applications are conducted by Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF) licensed applicators. When conducting area-wide truck abatement missions, NOMTRCB’s trucks do not pass down every street in the treatment zone because the droplets can drift up to 300 feet.
Sign-up for Spray Notifications
Prior to area-wide applications we send out notifications by email and text message to notify residents. You can Sign-up for Spray Notifications. Make sure to select "Mosquito Abatement Notice" under the subscription topics. You can use our step-by-step guide to help get signed up for alerts. We also post all spray maps, application times, and zone boundaries on our social media pages, which you can find us @nolamosquito on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X.