Mosquito spraying scheduled next week for Basset, Monterey Park

Trucks spraying insecticide will roll through parts of Basset and Monterey Park, the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District announced Wednesday.

The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District has scheduled “Ultra-Low Volume … truck-mounted adulticide treatments” in response to the increase in mosquitoes and risk of mosquito-borne diseases in Bassett and Monterey Park, according to the district. The insecticide is intended for flying adult mosquitoes that may carry West Nile virus.

The treatments will occur between midnight and 5 a.m. Tuesday, July 9 and Wednesday, July 10.

The spraying operation in Monterey Park will be in the area bordered by West Floral Drive and the 60 Freeway, east of Vancouver Avenue and west of Collegian Avenue. In Bassett, spraying will take place between Puente Avenue and Vineland Avenue, southwest of Amar Road and northeast of Valley Boulevard.

Vector control district technicians will spray Aquaduet, a pesticide containing Sumithrin and Prallethrin which mimic the properties in chrysanthemum flowers. Beccause the chemical is suspended in water, spraying it will not harm the finishes on cars or homes.

“The district has recorded high mosquito abundance numbers the past few weeks,” the agency’s Director of Scientific Program Tristan Hallum said in a statement. “This treatment will help decrease mosquito populations, interrupt virus transmission, and protect residents from mosquito-borne diseases.”

Officials may postpone the spraying operation if weather conditions are unfavorable “or if there are operational delays” and noted that “mosquito control is a shared responsibility and as mosquito activity increases, residents must take an active role in reducing the threat of WNV to themselves and in their neighborhoods.”

The vector control district provided these tips below to reduce mosquito populations:

• eliminate standing water in clogged rain gutters, rain barrels, discarded tires, buckets, watering troughs or anything that holds water for more than one week;
• properly maintain that swimming pools, spas and ponds;
• change the water in pet dishes, birdbaths and other small containers once a week; and
• report neglected swimming pools to the vector control district.

To prevent mosquito bites:

• apply mosquito repellent to exposed skin before going outside and reapply according to label recommendations;
• wear insect repellent containing CDC- and EPA-approved active ingredients DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus; and
• wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants

More information on the mosquito control treatments in Bassett and Monterey Park is online: PublicHealthMosquito.org. Residents can contact the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District at 626-814-9466, online via SGVmosquito.org or on social media.