Mosquito Control conducts aerial larvae treatments in Clearwater and St. Pete on Thursday

Mosquito Control conducts aerial larvae treatments in Clearwater and St. Pete on Thursday

Pinellas County Mosquito Control, in partnership with Lee County Mosquito Control, is conducting aerial liquid treatments targeting mosquito larvae on Thursday in parts of St. Pete and Clearwater.

To view the treatment areas, visit Pinellas.gov/mosquito-control-treatments/ and switch to the aerial tab.

The helicopters will begin flights between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. in the St. Pete area to map the treatment area. They will not begin spraying before 9 a.m.

Treatments will occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and consist of a fine mist of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) sprayed from low-flying helicopters. This timeframe is the safest for flight and the easiest for people to go indoors, although Bti is not harmful to humans, pets or pollinators. The helicopters will fly at low altitudes in patterns, which will be noisy but is necessary for the Bti to better reach standing water.

Bti is a mosquito-specific soil bacterium that kills only black flies and mosquito larvae. Mosquito larvae have a unique gut pH that causes them to release a toxin once they ingest the bacteria. Bti is the same active ingredient found in mosquito dunks and bits sold at local hardware stores to treat standing water for mosquitoes.

Residents can register to receive notifications of scheduled aerial larvae treatments in their area at Pinellas.gov/Alert-Pinellas.

According to the latest Florida Department of Health (FDOH) report, released Oct. 30, Pinellas County has had 67 confirmed cases of dengue since August. Across the Tampa Bay region, 456 cases have been confirmed in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties. For more details about aerial larvae treatments, answers to FAQs to combat dengue, details on other County efforts to combat dengue and ways you can protect yourself and your family, visit Pinellas.gov/Dengue.