In an effort to curb the mosquito population before the upcoming summer season, Suffolk’s Division of Vector Control has announced aerial pesticide applications over several marshland areas this week. The treatments are scheduled over the next few days between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., weather permitting.
The mosquito control effort will use a low-altitude helicopter to distribute granular larvicide pellets targeting mosquito larvae before they can mature into biting adults. The treatment areas include Smith Point County Park in Shirley, Fireplace Neck in Brookhaven, and several creek systems: Johns Neck Creek, Mastic Beach, Grove Avenue, and Stillman, Mud, Abets, Beaverdam, and Hedges creeks.
The products being applied are VectoPrime FG and Altosid, which are considered low-risk to humans, pets, and most wildlife. The larvicides contain Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), a naturally occurring bacterium that produces proteins lethal to mosquito larvae, and Methoprene, a synthetic hormone mimic that disrupts mosquito development, preventing larvae from maturing into adults.
They are considered harmless to humans, pets, fish, and most other species. Both products are approved by the EPA and have been used safely for years in sensitive ecosystems such as wetlands, parks, and residential zones. They specifically target mosquito larvae in stagnant or slow-moving water and do not harm adult bees, butterflies, fish, or birds.
Treating marshlands early in the pest’s life cycle helps reduce the population before it spreads inland, where mosquitoes, known as the world’s deadliest vector, can transmit diseases such as West Nile virus or become a summer nuisance. With warmer weather approaching and rainfall creating ideal breeding conditions, county officials say now is the critical time to act.
Residents near the listed treatment areas are advised that while the helicopter operation may be briefly visible or audible, there is no need for precautions—the products used pose no health risk when applied according to regulations.