Mosquito treatment scheduled for Banks Lake

Grant County Mosquito District 2 planned another aerial granular larvicide drop along Banks Lake today (Wednesday), weather permitting.

The new treatment, the second aerial drop this year, is necessitated by new evidence of mosquitos from Sunbanks Lake Resort, Steamboat Rock State Park and Electric City.

The first aerial treatment was made in May and resulted in a big mosquito larvae kill and reports of mosquito-free patio and camping times throughout the area.

But recent tests along the lake revealed mosquito larvae to the extent that another aerial treatment was necessary, mosquito district Commissioner Carl Russell stated.

Mosquito District 2 contracts with the Moses Lake district for aerial coverage, which costs about $1,000 an hour. Russell said it takes about 1.5 hours to fly to the area and make the drop. The chemical granules for a treatment on Banks Lake costs about $17,000, Russell added.

Mosquito larvae were found when workers took water samples from the lake in various places recently.

According to officials, the benefits from the larvicide treatment, with its quick relief, should be apparent immediately. Russell said that both Sunbanks Lake Resort and Steamboat Rock State Park have been notified of the drop.

“If a camper should get hit with the granule drop, it wouldn’t hurt them,” Russell stated.

Meanwhile, the mosquito district will also continue its fogging treatment.