Public Notice: Unscheduled Mosquito Control Spraying in Anne Arundel County

Spraying Scheduled for Wednesday Evening

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Anne Arundel County Health Department will expand mosquito control services in the Severna Park area Wednesday evening due to a public health concern over the potential for mosquito-borne diseases.

Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) truck-based spraying to control adult mosquitoes is planned for the evening of Wednesday, August 15, within a one mile radius of the intersection of Arundel Beach Road and Chestnut Road. A portion of this area is covered by the department’s routine mosquito control spraying program. Unscheduled spraying will occur in the Arundel Beach and Whitehurst neighborhoods.

Spraying will occur after 7:30 p.m., weather permitting. In the event of inclement weather, the department will re-schedule for the next available evening. Any existing spray exemptions in the area will be temporarily suspended.

Mosquito Control personnel will use a permethrin-based solution that the EPA has approved for use in public health mosquito control programs without posing unreasonable risks to human health. However, out of an abundance of caution, the department recommends avoiding outdoor activities during spraying.

While not all mosquitoes carry diseases, the Maryland Department of Agriculture suggests that residents take precautions to minimize their exposure to mosquito bites. These measures include:

• Wear long, loose fitting, light colored clothing
• Wear insect repellents according to product labels
• Avoid mosquito infested areas during prime periods of activity (between dusk and dawn)
• Install, inspect, and repair window and door screens in homes and stables
• Regularly clean bird baths and bowls for pet food and water
• Remove or empty all water-holding containers

All Marylanders are encouraged to follow the Department’s Twitter feed @MdAgMosquito that will post unscheduled spray events and other timely information about mosquito control in Maryland. Routine spray program schedules are available by county on the program’s website.

For more information, call the Department of Agriculture’s Mosquito Control Program at 410-841-5870.

# # #