Press

It’s a bird… it’s a plane.

By Alta Mayhugh Staff Writer
Published/Last Modified — Tuesday, July 21, 2009 10:40 AM CDT

Some Williston residents may have been startled Monday evening by the large military plane that roared low over the city.

But they had no need to fear, as the Air Force C–130 was back again for a good cause. The Air Force wants to give the people of Williston a mosquito–free day, couple of days or in a best–case scenario, a whole week without the pests.

It hopes to do this with its latest mission by spraying an adulticide called Zenivex^® over the community. The spray targets adult mosquitoes and is harmless to humans and other mammals.

The Air Force originally planned to come later this summer. Its first mission between the end of May and beginning of June targeted mosquito larvae and was deemed a success by the fact that dip counts were lower afterward.

It’s here again mainly because it’s scheduled to spray in Minot before the North Dakota State Fair, which begins Friday. The Air Force decided to do a second mission in Williston at this time because it was already in the neighborhood, said Maj. Mark Breidenbaugh, chief entomologist of the Air Force Spray Flight at Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna, Ohio. Zenivex^® is a new adulticide that came out this year, said Dean Gaiser, regional sales manager for Central Life Sciences^® in Chicago. A lot of testing was done over the years and it’s significantly safer than alternative products, he said.

The adulticide is very effective, however, and because the Air Force is treating about 25,000 acres, it’ll give the company more verification that it works, Gaiser said.

Although it seemed the mission may not get off the ground Monday, the wind died down just enough so the aircraft could complete its rounds. At about 8:15 p.m., the C–130 began circling Williston, then headed south so Watford City could be treated first. Trenton also was included in the spraying.

Then the plane came back to Williston, flying at about 200 feet above the trees as it sprayed Zenivex^® over the city. It made several rounds as it flew above the downtown area, directly about the Williams County Courthouse, near the water tower and off toward the buttes.

Air Force personnel plan to stay in town for a while to check mosquito traps set up throughout the area to determine the success of the adulticide, said Breidenbaugh. An assessment similar to the one completed after the larvicide mission also is to be done, he said.

Click here to read this story on the Williston Herald website