Microbial and Chemical control is the use of chemical products to reduce mosquito populations. This method is primarily used when other methods are ineffective in maintaining low mosquito populations. It can also be used to quickly and efficiently bring down mosquito populations to terminate disease transmission to people and animals. Products employed in mosquito control for public health purposes are specially designed to target and eliminate mosquitoes. When these products are used in accordance with their labels, they present minimal risks to human health and non-target organisms. When appropriate, East Side applies both larvacide and adulticide that are registered by US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and California Department of Pesticide Regulations (CDPR).

Larvacide: Larvacide is applied to localized water sources that contain mosquito larva. By targeting mosquito breeding grounds, larval control can sustainably reduce mosquito populations before they emerge as biting adults. Larvacides are generally categorized into suffocants, insect growth regulators, and bacterial-origin larvacides. These products may be applied by handheld equipment, backpack equipment, truck-mounted equipment, or aerial-mounted equipment.

Adulticide: Adulticide is used to target adult mosquitoes. It is primarily applied when there is an increase in mosquito abundance in a given area, or when there is a detection of a mosquito-borne virus in mosquitos, wild birds, or humans. Control of adult mosquitoes is routinely performed by applying ultra-low volume (ULV) of adulticide products. ULV applications deliver a fine mist of chemical product to target flying, adult mosquitos. ULV products are typically applied by spray equipment mounted on ATVs, trucks or fixed wing aircrafts.

East Side often uses pyrethrins or pyrethroid products for ground and aerial ULV applications. Pyrethrins are natural chemicals derived from Chrysanthemum plant family. Pyrethroids are analog synthetics of pyrethrins. Both are effective for eliminating adult mosquitos. These adulticides are routinely applied at very low rates (ounces/acre). The low rates of application, plus the quick and natural breakdown of the product exposed to UV light and water ensures that they pose minimal risk to people and animals.

When necessary, our technicians schedule pre-dawn adulticide applications around the community. If a resident would like their property to not be sprayed, please inform the district by filling out a non-spray form. The district will try to accommodate your request without putting the public health of your neighbors at risk.