City To Spray For Mosquitoes In Upper Roxborough Thursday Evening
PHILADLEPHIA (CBS) -- Health Department spokesman Jim Garrow says the spraying will target the area around the Upper Roxborough Reservoir Preserve, between Summit and Port Royal Avenues.
"The number of mosquitoes that we found in our traps is higher than we'd like," he said.
Although none of the mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile virus, Garrow says they have the potential to carry it.
"Because this area does back up against houses and the ball fields are right there, that's one of the reasons that we pay special attention to that area," said Garrow.
At dusk, the truck-mounted sprayer will put out a fine mist of an insecticide called Duet, which targets adult mosquitoes, but can also kill non-target species like bees and butterflies, which typically aren't flying in the evening.
The manufacturer says beekeepers can protect their hives by covering them while the spraying is taking place .