With heavy water run-off this year, Inyo’s Mosquito Control crew zipped into high gear right away. Mosquito Program Manager Jerry Oser said the department has gone to a facebook page to keep track of insect outbreaks.

mosquito_fogger

Mosquito Control crews fog with insecticide in the early morning and evening hours.

Oser said that he and the crew have scrambled to deal with the high flows of the Owens River this spring. He said Big Pine’s stretch of river produced a heavy hatch of mosquitoes. Oser said the crew broke out the fog machines to spray in the early morning and late evening hours. Oser said the Owens River had recently bumped up to high levels in the Pleasant Valley Reservoir area which could produce mosquitoes in a couple of weeks.

The Lower Owens River Project has just begun a seasonal habitat flow which goes from 48 cubic feet per second up to 200 CFS and back down over twelve days. Oser said this will help trees and plants grow, but it also might help mosquitoes to hatch out.

Oser said his crew, which includes many experienced workers, have what it takes to respond. He said their equipment stands ready, too. Oser said the crew does focus on chemical treatment of mosquito larva before they hatch, but will fog after they do. Another note – recent tests showed mosquitoes in Inyo County are negative for West Nile Virus, Encephalitis and Western Equine Virus.

The Mosquito Control program has also jumped into cyberspace. You can leave complaints and suggested locations for treatment on the website – www.inyomonoagriculture.com or go to facebook and search for Owens Valley Mosquito.

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