Hillsborough and Pasco counties launch aerial pesticide spray to curb dengue-spreading mosquitoes
Helicopter-based ultra-low-volume pesticide applications have begun over central Tampa as dengue cases rise, with multiple counties contributing aircraft and pilots.
Hillsborough and Pasco counties have coordinated aerial pesticide spraying to combat mosquitoes that transmit dengue fever, after the Florida Department of Health reported at least 59 infections in Hillsborough County this year. The effort targets central Tampa, including the I-275 and U.S. 41 corridors and neighborhoods such as Seminole Heights.
"It’s called ULV, ultra-low volume. So the amount that we spray out in the area is less than an ounce per acre," said Anthony Hudson, chief pilot for Hillsborough County Mosquito Control.
The spraying is conducted at night using helicopters that fly low and slow to maximize the application method, which officials say is effective against the Aedes aegypti mosquito that spreads dengue.
"The application method that we’re supplementing here using the orange helicopter… has been proven really effective during dengue transmission with Aedes aegypti specifically," said Adriane Rogers of the Pasco County Mosquito Control District.
Additional aircraft and pilots from Pasco and Manatee counties have joined the operation, and officials expect the program to run for several weeks to interrupt the mosquito life cycle. Residents are advised to stay indoors while spraying, keep windows and doors closed, and eliminate standing water around homes to reduce breeding sites.