The City of Lonsdale has used adulticides (a type of pesticide that kills adult mosquitoes) to control mosquito populations which is a known nuisance in this area. From May – Sept, once a week a truck sprays the yards and homes of residents using the pesticide Permethrin (which is registered by the EPA).

This method does not get to the root cause of the issues, its toxic to bees and aquatic life, does not allow for organic gardens, and there is always the potential health risk when using pesticides especially exposure for pregnant women, and children.The latest study that was published by the BMJ in March 2019 found prenatal and infant exposure to pesticides (including permethrin) increased risk of autism. The Times created an easy to read summary.

We want mosquito populations controlled, and would like to see the city (and or county) do an integrated approach to mosquito management to reduce or eliminate the weekly residential spray. After talking to people outside of this community, surrounding cities and counties, and the Mosquito Control Council it became clear weekly spraying of our homes and yards is excessive and not normal unless there was a mosquito-borne disease (there have been no reports documented in this area). No other communities in the surrounding areas do this.

The change we would like to see is the city using an integrated mosquito method which models the science-based approach recommended by the EPA and CDC. Here are the steps that would apply to our community:

1. Remove Mosquito Habitats – this ensures mosquitoes don’t have a place to lay their eggs, and includes public education on getting rid of standing water around the home.
2. Control Mosquitoes at the Larval Stage – this is the most effective pesticide approach and minimizes the need for widespread application which includes spraying our homes and yards. Larvicides target larvae in the breeding habit before they become adult mosquitoes, so it will reduce the adult mosquito population in the city.
3. Control Adult Mosquitoes – this is the method we have used in the past. This should be a last resort for extreme nuisance or mosquito-borne disease

If you would like to see the city use an integrated approach to mosquito control with the goal of reducing or eliminating the need to spray our homes, please sign this petition. 

If mosquito spraying continues, there should be a notification system in case the date/time changes, an option to opt-out, and mosquito levels monitored and spraying to only take affect if levels are over a certain amount.