The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) is working with local officials in western Kentucky in an area close to Logan and Todd counties to combat an outbreak of floodwater mosquitoes in the Land Between the Lakes area.
"We chose to take a proactive approach to stop these floodwater mosquitoes from becoming a major public nuisance," Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said. "The local governments in the area want to get ahead of this problem, and we are happy to help in any way we can."
David Wayne, director of the KDA's Division of Environmental Services, said water levels on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley have been the highest since 2013, creating the conditions for an increased mosquito hatch. KDA and local officials decided to apply larvicide in known mosquito breeding sites; those operations will continue through this week. The KDA will follow up with ground fogging operations next to identified floodwater mosquito breeding sites and elsewhere at the request of local authorities, Wayne said.
He said the KDA has worked with officials in Calloway, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, and Trigg counties, as well as the Purchase and Pennyrile health districts, to identify areas with the greatest need.
Wayne stressed that the floodwater mosquitoes targeted in this operation are not the species most likely to transmit disease, including Zika virus.
For more information about the KDA's mosquito control program, go to kyagr.com/consumer/pest-and-recycling.html#mosquito.