I was on the mosquito abatement board way back in the early ’90s. I fought to first get our agency to warn people when fogging of malathion was going to happen. Then I pushed for an end to fogging and a switch to larvacides that only killed mosquito larvae. I thought progress had been made when a new board and manager were installed. Now, 30 years later, I see from Don Kifmeyer’s letter that fogging (poisoning) is still going on, killing insects and causing people and pets to ingest poison to varying degrees.
Nobody likes mosquitoes, but the BEST strategy is to educate people to eliminate any standing water on their property where mosquitoes can hatch and use larvacide briquettes in the sloughs and other wetlands and pools.
It’s so disheartening to find out mosquito control is now moving backwards, apparently. Mosquitoes don’t travel far from where they hatch. Check for water in tires, flower pots, puddles and other small containers and talk to your neighbors about doing the same. Then you won’t need to be fogged with poison and you’ll still have ladybugs, praying mantises, honeybees and other helpful insects. Move forward.
Connie Blaine
Fruita, Colorado
