Health department to spray for mosquitoes in this Lexington ZIP code

Officials with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department plan to treat parts of a specific ZIP code with mosquito spray early Thursday morning.

Officials are planning to spray the 40505 ZIP code area between 3-6 a.m., July 23. The health department said officials plan to treat parts of the Eastland Parkway and Meadows/Loudon neihgborhoods, Castlewood Park and Johnson Heights Park.

T

The health department said a trap caught many mosquitoes at Johnsdale Drive, which prompted the scheduled spraying.

The spraying will only occur if the wind speed is less than 10 miles per hour, the temperature is higher than 55 degrees and there is no rain or dense fog, according to the health department.

The mosquito spray only affects adult mosquitoes that are in the air at the time of spraying, the health department said.

The health department uses Duet, an EPA-approved chemical that stimulates resting mosquitoes in trees and foliage, causing them to fly into the air and come into contact with the spray’s mosquito-killing agent, sumithrin. Duet has been rigorously tested for human and animal safety and is registered for outdoor residential and recreational areas, the health department said.

“We are increasing activities to kill mosquito larvae in areas where standing water cannot be drained,” Luke Mathis, the health department’s environmental health and preparedness team leader, said on the health department’s website. “Targeting immature mosquitoes is a more effective control strategy as it stops mosquitoes from developing into adults that can feed on humans and transmit mosquito-borne diseases like Zika and West Nile.”

Only the 40505 ZIP code will be sprayed on Thursday. Additional areas of town could be treated at a later date, and will be announced by the health department if selected for treatment.