Mosquito Control Plans for Worcester in July

Hey Worcester residents! Just a heads up—the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project (CMMCP) will be in town on July 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 to help with mosquito issues. They might do some pesticide spraying in specific areas using trucks, but this depends on the weather and how many mosquitoes are around. No aerial spraying is planned for now.

Besides spraying, CMMCP offers other services like cleaning ditches and treating abandoned swimming pools. If you need these services, you can fill out a form on their website (cmmcp.org) or call them at 508-393-3055 between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also find info about the products they use and their pest management program online.

Their full 2024 spraying schedule is on the CMMCP website, and you can see which areas will be sprayed each day after 3:30 p.m. Keep in mind that the schedule might change due to weather, mosquito activity, or special events. The spraying program will stop once the nights get cooler.

If you don’t want your property sprayed, you can opt out on the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources website.

The City will also send alerts about spraying through email, social media, and text messages. To get these alerts, make sure you’re signed up for ALERTWorcester with your current email and phone number. Extra alerts will go out if there are cases of mosquito-borne illnesses that need emergency spraying.

Here are some tips if your area is being sprayed:

• Close windows facing the street and turn off air conditioners that pull in outside air.
• Keep pets indoors between sunset and midnight, and don’t let kids play near the spraying trucks.
• Stay inside during the spraying and for 15-20 minutes afterward.
• Wash any vegetables from your garden before eating them.

Accidental exposure to the pesticide shouldn’t cause problems for most people, but if you have chemical sensitivities or health conditions, check with your doctor and take steps to avoid exposure. Pets should also be fine since the pesticide is similar to flea and tick treatments.

To avoid mosquito bites and the diseases they can carry, remember these “5 Ds”:

• Dress in long sleeves and pants when you can.
• DEET is a good repellent; follow the instructions on the label.
• Dawn & Dusk are when mosquitoes are most active.
• Drain water from containers weekly to get rid of standing water.
• Defend your home by installing and fixing window screens.

Stay safe and keep those mosquitoes at bay, Worcester!

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