County welcomes complaints about mosquitoes

With spring on the way, Flathead County Public Health Officer Joe Russell wants Kalispell residents to report mosquito complaints so they can be handled by the Flathead County Mosquito Control program.

“We respond to most complaints, if not all, depending on other activities, within 24 hours,” Russell told the Kalispell City Council during a work session Monday night.

The Kalispell City Council called the work session to learn more about the program’s activities and what city residents paying into the program are getting.

Russell said he administers the countywide program, which has a full-time manager and its own control board. It is funded by a one-mill levy approved in 2006 to mitigate West Nile virus in Flathead County.

The program focuses on surveillance and larva control, primarily to protect the public from mosquito-borne diseases, but also to reduce the nuisance.

In addition to a full-time manager, the program also hires a few people to do dip surveys, looking for “wigglers.”

“The threshold is if you find them, you treat,” Russell told the council.

Treatments include a naturally occurring bacteria toxic only to mosquito and black fly larvae and the larvicide Methoprene, both of which are applied to stagnant waters where mosquitoes live and lay eggs.

“We have a really good collection of larva controls we can use in different applications around the county,” Russell said.

Identified problem areas are checked every year.

Common treatment areas in and around Kalispell include retention ponds in various subdivisions and at Kidsports and Flathead Valley Community College, Village Greens Golf Course, behind the old Walmart in Evergreen and around the Buffalo Head family fishing ponds.

Last year, the control board bought an ultra-low-volume applicator to spray for adult mosquitoes when warranted.

“We’re using Scourge, a pyrethroid, a synthetic pyrethrum, a base chemical chrysanthemums give out that is very effective at killing insects, specifically mosquitoes,” Russell said.

Some council members expressed interest in spraying problem areas in Kalispell, particularly around Lawrence Park and the Buffalo Hill Golf Course.

The spraying equipment was effectively used in Columbia Falls last year, Russell said, but has significant restrictions as far as where and when it can be used, especially in areas with state-regulated waters.

“Yes we have it and know how to do it,” Russell said. “There are a lot of things to consider, but we do have the ability to do it and processes in place to put that in order.”

One challenging area to treat in Kalispell has been Lawrence Park. A network of trails to get workers back into areas of standing water would help a lot, Russell said.

“We have a lot of still water and can’t get to it all, and with all the state water we can’t do adult control ... It would take perfect winds to get in and do any” spraying.

A master plan in place for the park called for the city to build walkways back into the swampy areas, partly to help area students learn about wetlands.

“We didn’t go forward with that, but this would be another reason to,” council member Jim Atkinson said.

Kalispell Parks and Recreation Director Mike Baker said that’s still in the park’s master plan. “We haven’t quite got there. But we’re still reviewing that plan and looking at moving ahead with that one of these days,” Baker said, adding that his department forwards mosquito complaints to the Flathead County Mosquito Control program.

Russell encouraged people to complain about mosquitoes.

“We want the complaints. It’s the only way we’ll find them,” he said. “The best thing we can do is continue to identify problem areas and look at the best way to take care of them.”

Mosquito complaints can be submitted online at www.flathead.mt.gov/mosquitoes/FlatheadCountyMosquitoControl.php.

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.