DOVER, Del. (AP) - State environmental officials are gearing up for the start of this year's mosquito spraying season.
Weather permitting, crews will begin spraying in wooded wetlands near select populated areas downstate on Saturday, and in northern Delaware on Tuesday.
Crews will target about 10,000 forested acres that produce large numbers of early-season mosquitoes, using larvicides applied by helicopter and possibly fixed-wing aircraft.
Officials say a relatively mild winter has accelerated development of mosquito larvae in woodland pools, and that there's the potential for lots of mosquitoes to emerge.
If larval stages of early-season mosquitoes are not successfully controlled, the result can be what officials describe as an intolerable number of biting adult mosquitoes taking wing in late April and remaining through late June.
