A swath of northeast Queens stretching from College Point to Jamaica Estates will be sprayed with mosquito-killing pesticides this Tuesday night.
The Department of Health announced that its latest battle in the war on mosquitoes will be waged from 9 p.m. on Aug. 14 until 6 a.m. the following morning, weather permitting. (In the event of inclement weather, spraying will take place the following night, Aug. 15, during the same hours.)
Trucks will drive around the spray zone using one of two pesticides targeting mosquitoes: DUET or Anvil 10+10. While health risks to humans and pets are low, exposure to the pesticides could cause short-term eye or throat irritation, or a rash.
People with respiratory conditions are at greater risk of experiencing symptoms from exposure. Residents are advised to remain indoors and keep windows closed during the spraying hours. They may use air conditioners, but the Health Department recommends keeping the vents closed or using the recirculate function.
The pesticide spraying aims to curb the population of mosquitoes that may carry the West Nile Virus, an infection that could cause serious illness or even death to those with compromised immune systems who may contract it. The Health Department noted that the virus has been detected in mosquito samples across the five boroughs this summer.
The Aug. 14 spray zone in Queens includes the neighborhoods of Beechhurst, College Point, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Hollis, Jamaica Estates, Malba, Pomonok, the Oakland Gardens section of Bayside and Whitestone. The area is generally bounded:
- on the west by 188th Street, Union Turnpike, Utopia Parkway, Jewel Avenue, 164th Street, Long Island Expressway, Main Street, Franklin Avenue, Parsons Boulevard, 158th Street, Northern Boulevard, Linden Place, Whitestone Expressway and Flushing Bay;
- on the north by the East River;
- on the east by 154th Street, Cross Island Parkway, Francis Lewis Boulevard, Utopia Parkway, Long Island Expressway, Francis Lewis Boulevard, 73rd Avenue and Springfield Boulevard; and,
- on the south by the Grand Central Parkway, Hillside Avenue, 196th Street and Jamaica Avenue.
Anything left outside during the spraying should be thoroughly washed with soap and water before reuse. If you’re exposed to the pesticide, be sure to wash your clothes and skin with soap and water.
In addition to the truck spraying, the Health Department also announced that it would again conduct an aerial larvicide operation across five marshy areas of Queens. Helicopters will drop larvicide into known mosquito breeding grounds on Thursday, Aug. 16, Friday, Aug. 17, and Monday, Aug. 20, from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. (In the event of inclement weather, the operation will take place during the same hours on Tuesday, Aug. 21, through Thursday, Aug. 23.)
The five Queens areas where larvicide will be dropped are as follows:
- Areas of Alley Pond Park near Alley Creek bounded by Douglaston Parkway and 240th Street to the east; Northern Boulevard to the north; Cross Island Parkway and East Hampton Boulevard to the west; and Grand Central Parkway to the south.
- The abandoned Flushing Airport, bounded by Whitestone Expressway to the east; 20th Avenue to the north; 130th Avenue and Ulmer Street to the west; and Ulmer Street and 28th Street to the south.
- Dubos Point and Edgemere Park in the Rockaways, bounded by Norton Basin to the east; Mott Point to the north; Grass Hassock Channel to the west; and Beach 65th Street, De Costa Avenue and Almeda Avenue to the south.
- Areas of Brookville Park bounded by Huxley Street to the east; 149th Avenue (to 225th Street), 148th Avenue (to 230th Street) and 147th Avenue (to 235th Street) to the north; 150th Road to the west; and Rockaway Boulevard to the south.
- Marshy areas of Kissena Park bounded by 164th Street to the east; Oak Avenue and Rose Avenue to the north; Kissena Boulevard to the west; and Booth Memorial Avenue to the south.
Visit the Health Department’s website or call 311 for further information about the war on mosquitoes in Queens.
Do your part to protect yourselves against mosquitoes this summer. Remember to drain any standing water on your property and, when outside, to use an approved insect repellant containing DEET, picardin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (except for children 3 years of age and under) or the active ingredient IR3535. Keep all swimming pools chlorinated, or covered when not in use.
