A plane is spraying for mosquitoes near the NC and SC state line this week. Here’s why

A plane conducting aerial mosquito abatement for Horry County Mosquito Control began spraying for mosquitoes on Monday and will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, weather permitting.

Horry County Mosquito Control sprays for mosquitoes from trucks starting in April or May every year. Although aerial spraying is less frequent, it’s still a regular part of the county’s mosquito abatement strategy and is scheduled when necessary.

“It is something that is done annually and on a relatively regular basis as the need arises,” said Horry County Government Public Information Office deputy director Thomas Bell. “And obviously, with the aerial spraying, it allows the county to cover more areas where mosquitoes are hatching and out than just going around with the sprayer trucks.”

The last time Horry County conducted aerial spraying was in September of 2023, after Hurricane Idalia. While spraying after a hurricane or tropical storm isn’t a given, the local mosquito population often spikes after heavy rainfall.

“With the heavy rain and standing water from Tropical Storm Debby, we’ve certainly received calls and comments from citizens about the mosquitoes being a bit more in abundance as of late, so the county certainly tries to get out and spray when possible and when there are these hot spot situations, especially after these tropical systems,” Bell said.

The plane will spray from two hours before sunset to two hours after. Current forecasts suggest the county will have clear skies, but if weather gets bad, Tuesday and Wednesday’s sprayings will be rescheduled for Friday.

On Monday, the county conducted aerial spraying over the following areas:

• Highway 90 to Edge Road
• Carolina Bay Parkway to Cassina Drive

On Tuesday, the the county will conduct aerial spraying over the following areas:

• West Bear Grass Road to Loop Circle
• North Highway 905 to Southern Sights Drive

On Wednesday, the the county will conduct aerial spraying over the following areas:

• Hemingway Highway to the state line between North and South Carolina
• Wright Road on the North Carolina state line to Betha T. Cox Lane

A map of the latest areas where the plane is scheduled to spray can be accessed on the county website here .

While the chemicals released are deadly for mosquitoes, residents and pets don’t need to worry. According to the county, all the chemicals are EPA-approved and pose minimal risk to humans and animals.

However, the county says you may want to remain indoors with doors and windows closed during the spraying if you have asthma or a respiratory condition. Additionally, homegrown produce in the areas sprayed should be thoroughly cleaned before being eaten.

The chemicals can also harm bees. Clemson University Extension Service and Regulatory Services advises beekeepers to be aware of sprayings in their area and cover their beehives during the events.

The county is urging local beekeepers to contact the Horry County Stormwater Department for exclusion and identify the location of their colonies. The department has a web page where residents can submit opt-out requests for aerial mosquito abatement for honeybee populations, organic farms or health purposes.

Beekeepers can also register with Clemson’s Voluntary Beehive Mapping Program to report the location of their hives and get email updates about planned pesticide applications.

While mosquito bites are always a nuisance, diseases transmitted by the insects can be deadly. Both West Nile Virus and eastern equine encephalitis, often called EEE, have been identified in Horry County this year.

“This is for a purpose, for a greater good, because we do want to take down those mosquito numbers,” Bell said. “Obviously, they carry a lot of not great things, and the less people getting bitten by mosquitoes, the better off the summer is going to be.”

Testing from the South Carolina Department Public Health (DPH) has found seven positive samples of cases of West Nile Virus in mosquitoes in Horry County in 2024: two at an Aynor location and five at a Myrtle Beach location.

Information about human cases is less clear. According to DPH, there have been less than five cases of people with mosquito-borne diseases in Horry County in the last year, but the department doesn’t share additional details when there are so few cases due to privacy concerns.

In equine cases, EEE was detected in a horse in Conway. The virus, which the CDC characterizes as rare but serious, made headlines this week after mosquitoes spreading EEE prompted a Massachusetts town to close public spaces outdoors in the evenings.

Officials with Clemson Livestock-Poultry Health, which is home to the Office of the State Veterinarian, are urging horse owners to ensure their horses are up to date with vaccinations to prevent the spread of disease.

“There has been an explosion of mosquitoes in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Debby, and that results in an increase in the diseases they spread. Vaccinations are imperative in the current environment,” Clemson Livestock-Poultry Health director of Equine Health Programs Sean Eastman said in a statement.