Vector Control Plan

CONTROL STRATEGIES

Best Management Practice Plan: A Best Management Practice Plan (BMP) will be developed for all District member municipalities. BMPs are based on a municipality's assessment and the specific needs and concerns of the community. Designed to be cost effective and environmentally sound, IPM strategies have been developed from collected data and information gathered relating to mosquito populations, habitat, proximity to human populations, and relevance to public health and quality of life factors. BMPs are revised annually and reviewed by the municipality's Board of Health. To obtain a copy of your town's BMP, please contact our office.

Larviciding: Targeted preemptive control measures are the most cost effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly way to reduce mosquito populations. Larviciding is the application of an insecticide into shallow water to control mosquitoes in their aquatic stages and prevent emergence as adult mosquitoes. A data base of mosquito breeding sites is maintained and sites are checked and treated as necessary by means of hand or power equipment (Freshwater Larviciding) or by aerial application (Aerial Larviciding). The District uses Bacillus products for larviciding. Bacillus is a naturally occurring biological larvicide, with formulations specific to mosquitoes.

Catch Basin Treatments: The application of an insecticide to a catch basin, storm water structure, etc. to control mosquitoes in there aquatic stages and prevent emergences as adult mosquitoes. The District uses Methoprene and Bacillus products to treat basins.

Adulticiding: When larviciding is not an option, target adulticiding applications may be necessary. Adulticiding is the application of an insecticide to reduce adult mosquito populations. Adulticiding, or roadside spraying as it is commonly called, is accomplished by means of a pickup truck-mounted Ultra Low Volume (ULV) aerosol generator or sprayer. The ULV sprayer applies extremely low volumes of insecticides to large areas. Typically ULV machines deliver 8 to 15 micron droplets at a rate of between 1 to 3 ounces per acre, depending on insecticide used. All ULV equipment is independently certified as to it's accuracy. All pesticides must be and are registered by the EPA. The registration and use of pesticides is further regulated at the state level.

Ditch Maintenance: During mosquito season, in the course of larviciding and catch basin treatments, technicians will remove manageable silt and debris from drainage systems. In the off season, larger scale ditch maintenance projects are accomplished by means of highly specialized, environmentally sensitive, low ground pressure equipment. Ditch Maintenance is the maintenance of a previously maintained water course to reduce mosquito breeding habitat or potential habitat.

Open Marsh Water Management (OMWM): OMWM is a site specific salt marsh management technique which creates or enhances ponds, pools, and pans to serve as reservoirs for mosquito eating fish and provides access for these fish to mosquito breeding areas by creating or enhancing radial ditches. OMWM is widely recognized as a salt marsh restoration technique.

Vegetation Management: Flail mowing of invasive plant species on salt marshes to provide access and egress to mosquito breeding areas, as site preparation for ditch maintenance or OMWM projects.

Inspectional Services: While the District is authorized under the provisions of chapter 252: section 4 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth to enter upon lands for the purpose of inspection, it is not a regulatory agency. Nor is it our intention to impose any imposition on any citizen or business, but rather to be a resource for information and technology to help property owners prevent or abate mosquitoes to the mutual benefit of the property owner, the community, and mosquito control. The District acts as a technical advisor as requested by the Board of Health and represents the municipality's public and animal health and human annoyance concerns relative to mosquito breeding, potential breeding, and proposed development. The District, at the request of the Board of Health, will also review site plans and inspect sites were storm water structures are planned or are in the process of being constructed. Upon inspection of a site the District will make written recommendations, submit these recommendations to the Board of Health, and cc the land owner. Office / industrial parks, agricultural, and livestock facilities will be routinely inspected by the District due to the increased potential for Culex species, the primary vector of West Nile Virus, breeding in and around these facilities.

Research and Development: Research and develop new technologies, methods, or procedures and evaluate the implications to individual municipalities.

Educational Outreach: The District will present educational displays and programs on mosquito control and related environmental science programs to schools, civic organizations, and public officials.