McCall Idaho Headline News

Valley County has not started fogging or aerial spraying for mosquitoes yet, but other smaller-scale mosquito control efforts are underway.

McCall Golf Course Golf Course Superintendent Eric McCormick is doing fogging around the golf course with a city-purchased fogger mounted on the back of a pickup truck.

The fogger spreads a mist of an insecticide from Clarke Mosquito Control which combines pyrethrins, a chrysanthemum derivative, with piperonyl butoxide, which boosts pyrethrins' killing power. This is the same potent combo Valley County would use should it start aerial mosquito spraying. Golf course officials gained the approval of the McCall City Council about three months ago to begin a mosquito control program. Neighbors were notified through handouts, and a notice was published in The Star-News.

Golf Course Pro Allan Morrison believes controlling mosquitoes, which can carry West Nile virus, is tantamount to combating the disease itself. Reducing the threat aids residents and golfers, and McCall's tourist economy as well, Morrison said.

Morrison said he has received complaints about the fogging, but characterized those as the minority and as coming from visitors and not long-term residents.

McCormick said fogging is done about once a week, and he is gaining "real good control" of mosquitoes in golf course ponds. Morrison said evening golf has picked up now that mosquito numbers are down.

Another tactic deployed in the battle employs nipping infestations in the bud by allowing water to flow through ponds to keep water circulating to prevent the laying of eggs, McCormick said.

He also checks ponds once a week for mosquito larvae: If any are found, he poisons them on the spot.

Private foggers at work
Meanwhile, a Boise company that sells automatic home fogging equipment has found new customers in the area as private homeowners look for ways to eliminate mosquitoes on their property.

Kyle Enzler, owner of No Bug Zone, said the number of Long Valley customers for the systems is growing.

Once installed, the unit can be set to spray at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Beneficial insects like butterflies and bees, which prefer to be about during daylight, are not harmed because of the timing, Enzler said.

The units can be positioned in the most frequented part of the yard or garden. Tubes fitted with tiny nozzles can be attached to the unit and located in other places on the property like paths and driveways.

Customers can choose to use the pyrethrin/PBO combination or a mix of wintergreen and rosemary oils.

Replacing the chemical combo requires professional handling, but the herbal oils are regulated as food additives by the Food and Drug Administration.

The herbal blend does not just repel the biters; it kills them, Enzler said.

Valley County Weed Superintendent Kevin Gaither has not set up a schedule for fogging, but the county has purchased a $10,000 fogger capable of spraying very fine droplets.

Gaither is glad to have the new equipment, as the equipment belonging to the Edwards Mosquito Abatement District that the county wanted to borrow put out droplets that were too large.

In the meantime, Gaither is setting traps around the county and having captured mosquitoes
tested. So far, none of the mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus.

Were any insects found to be carrying the virus, he would begin fogging in the area where the trap was set that caught the infected mosquito.

Valley County commissioners have determined aerial spraying would begin if local hospitals report any cases of West Nile originating in Valley County.