I think we can all agree, 2020 hasn't been what most would consider a banner year so far. But hey, at least the mosquito problem here in the Sioux Empire hasn't been too bad, right?

Well, there goes that theory.

After we started getting all this precipitation, if you go outside for any time at night now, you instantly become a human buffet for those little bloodsuckers.

The good news the city of Sioux Falls is on the case and plans on taking steps to quell the problem.

Starting this week, you will more than likely begin to hear the buzzing sound of the mosquito spraying truck in your neighborhood.

Sioux Falls Health Program Coordinator Denise Patton told Dakota News Now, “This week we are spraying the entire city because over a third of our traps were hitting their thresholds, so when it gets that high we know that they fly and they don’t know boundaries, that it is time for us to get out and knock those numbers down.”

Sioux Falls has a total of 17 different mosquito spraying zones throughout the city. Since the mosquito numbers are growing in practically every zone, the city intends to take a proactive approach to help keep the mosquito numbers down.

Sitting water in some areas of the city has contributed to the growing numbers of mosquitoes.

According to Patton,“Sitting water is the dangerous stuff, so if it has a flow in it like a birdbath or a coy pond, you’re okay. If it’s a kitty pool that you haven’t tended to in two, three weeks and it’s green and just sitting there, that’s when things get problematic."

Dakota News Now reports the city uses a safe water-based chemical to combat mosquitoes.

If you've seen the spraying truck, you know the chemical is disbursed through a nozzle located on the back of the vehicle. The distribution method is designed to shoot the chemical into a billion tiny particles that are distributed at less than one teaspoon of active ingredient per acre.

Hours near dawn and dusk are generally when mosquitoes tend to be the most active. However, they can still be a pain during the daytime in shaded areas or in areas that contain longer grass.

The city wants to remind residents that it provides text alerts to those wishing to know when and where they will be spraying. To receive notification, simply text “SPRAY” to 888-777.

Source: Dakota News Now

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