Effects of mosquito spraying

[Clay Taylor]

Hi all -     
    One unexpected development to come out of the recent New London, CT Summer Butterfly Count (SBC) was the realization that repeated mosquito spraying at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford has reduced the butterfly population there almost to nothing.  There park has a usually thriving Baltimore Checkerspot colony there, but only one individual was found on count day (7/17/00).  The park was used as a park-and-ride area for the recent tall ships OP-SAIL festival in New London, so they gave the place a good dose.  There are free concerts at the park on summer weekends, and they evidently spray before those, too.    

    Add to this policy the heightened public nervousness over the presence of West Nile Virus in neighboring New York, and we could be looking at an insect massacre here - butterflies, dragonflies, and more!    

    While this year's count is history, I am looking forward to next year and beyond - does anybody have any experience dealing with a situation like this?  Without actually seeing what they spray and where and how they apply it, I don't want to make any unfair generalizations, but it seems like a few knowledgeable people could help direct the spraying efforts to the spots where it does the most good at killing mosquitos and at the same time avoid collateral insect deaths in places where mosquitos are less likely to be found.  I suppose that the case can be made that directed spraying will not only be more efficient in killing mosquitos but more cost-efficient in terms of fewer man-hours and less pesticides used.

    I am NOT saying that these spraying programs are unnecessary - the parks were not created just for the birders' and butterfliers' enjoyment, and a human health threat like West Nile or EEE must certainly be dealt with in no uncertain terms.  I would be interested in hearing if anyone has faced a situation like this, and has suggestions for dealing with the state agencies that are involved.

Clay Taylor
Moodus, CT
ctaylor at worldnet.att.net 
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