Aerial Mosquito Spraying tonight. Concerns.

[Macbeth2003]

So here in Dallas they have decided on late night aerial spraying to combat mosquitoes (despite the fact there is a lot fo evidence it doesn't work, and it does kill butterflies, bees, etc, but I digress.) I am concerned about our ducks. We have 6 ducks, who live outside. They forage in the yard during the day, and at night they come into a duck hut, where the entire back is open to the air. The back is all hardware cloth. The pesticide that will be used tonight is Duet Adultice. It is a pyrethrin based pesticide, mixed with Piperonyl Butoxide.

Do I need to be concerned about my girls ( and 1 guy)? We lost our first ever duck two days ago when the neighbors dog ripped the top of it's beak off, and I can't imagine loosing the others.

Thanks.

 

[NCFF]

http://www.plymouthmosquito.com/Duet Label.pdf
This is what I found on the web. Is it harm full probably, are they going to die probably not. Call the company and ask what precaution you should take.
Ideas could be:
Bring them in to the garage for the evening. Pick up there food and water for the night so it does not get reside on it. Keep them in for extra long in the morning so the ground is dry when you put them out. Cover their run with a trap then fold up and throw away in the morning. These are all just ideas. My BF works for Mosquito abatement here in Northern California. I worry about the chemicals, but as long as you take some precautions to protect yourself and animals I think you will be OK.

 

[1MrsMagoo]

I live in SE Louisiana and the parish government sends airplanes and truck mounted units to do aerial spraying every three weeks all summer long. The truck drives right up to our house and turns around within 100' of both my duck coops. Thus far in two summers, I have had no sick ducks, turkeys, chickens, or geese in the wake of spraying.

Now, my guys are snug in their wooden coops at this point. I think the mosquito spray is either an inhibitor or neurotoxin that must contact the mosquitoes bodies to hurt them. Given their size, I am sure the amount needed would be low and that the parts per million in the air would be insufficient to harm a duck inside a shelter. Honestly, if levels got high enough to hurt waterfowl, it would probably be enough to harm humans.

Given that the mist will land on vegetation though, if your ducks have a pasture and you are worried...you may want to thoroughly water it prior to letting them out. Also, you could replace part of their pool water if they use a kiddie pool rather than pond. Just to lessen the chances of residual build-up through time.

 

[Macbeth2003]

Thank you both.

If I had a garage or shed, I would certainly take them inside. Actually I'd just love to have a garage or shed period, but I live in a 90 year old house in a historic district, and If I tried to build one A: The City would tear it down and fine me, and B: the neighbors might stone me to death.

I'm probably more worried than I should be because I know how toxic these pyrethrins are to some animals (cats for example it can be lethal too) and I have serious neurological problems and have been advised by my neurologist to leave town (not happening) while the spraying is going on.

My Ducks always have their food and water taken up overnight, and with 6 ducks and a 3foot wading pool, it gets dumped daily. I will do this, and I will water down the lawn tomorrow an hour or so before they come out. I will also tarp over the open hardware cloth area of the duck hut tonight.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you both.

If I had a garage or shed, I would certainly take them inside. Actually I'd just love to have a garage or shed period, but I live in a 90 year old house in a historic district, and If I tried to build one A: The City would tear it down and fine me, and B: the neighbors might stone me to death.

I'm probably more worried than I should be because I know how toxic these pyrethrins are to some animals (cats for example it can be lethal too) and I have serious neurological problems and have been advised by my neurologist to leave town (not happening) while the spraying is going on.

My Ducks always have their food and water taken up overnight, and with 6 ducks and a 3foot wading pool, it gets dumped daily. I will do this, and I will water down the lawn tomorrow an hour or so before they come out. I will also tarp over the open hardware cloth area of the duck hut tonight.

Thanks for all the advice.

Be safe.

 

[Ce0522]

So, can I ask if you had any problems w/ your chickens after the spraying was done? We are up North of Denton and we are scheduled to get sprayed tonight w/ DUET. I'm contemplating taking some extra precautions, but I'm just not sure how far I need to go. Our coop has lots of ventilation, should I put a tarp over it? What about the run? It's quite large, and they will have full access to it in the morning. I have some free range birds that REFUSE to take shelter in the coop at night. If I can't catch them and secure them inside it somehow, I'm afraid their exposure to the spray will cause problems.

Any advice is appreciated!
Elisa

 

[Hemlock Hill]

I heard on NPR yesterday that the spraying is permethryn-based. Similar to what you put on your dogs and cats for fleas. They spay at night for a reason- mosquitos are most active then, and beneficial insects are at rest, so they aren't likely to be harmed.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Life is full of trade offs. You'd be more concerned if your ducks got West Nile Virus. There has been an outbreak of the disease and authorities are trying to slow it down.

The best you can do is to take ducks and feeders under cover during the spraying (that's why they announce when and where), and then spray off the lawn with clean water and let it dry before you turn the ducks back out.

Everyone can do their part by not allowing any standing water on their property that gives mosquitoes a place to breed.

 

[Macbeth2003]

My ducks were fine. I tarped over the exposed hardware cloth areas of their duck hut, turned their pool over, and brought in their feeder. The next morning I went out at 6 and hosed of the yard. Then went out at 7: and cleaned their pool. When I let them out they were fine. Did the same thing the other day.

As for the spray itself, It may be similar to what you put on dogs, but do NOT put it on cats. Pyrethrins are incredibly toxic to cats. My sister is a vet tech, and they see dead and dying cats every year from it. Usually people who fog their own backyard with it in high doses - not like what we got from the aerial spraying - but it is a definite feline toxin.

Sigh, so far independent studies show exactly the effects predicted by the majority of studies of the product and spraying methods, ie none. No reduction in mosquito population. This is largely because they spray too late to do much good, most of the spraying ends up happening after 10, and the mosquitos are most active around dusk. The city won't release findings yet.

CE0522, I can tell you that my vet recommended that they be covered and any grass they would be on be washed down a couple hours before they were let out on it. Talking to most people I know, this seemed to be the advice given for most animals. I'm afraid that is as much help as I can be. I would certainly err on the side of caution. Nothing lost by taking precautions.