Every summer, our community is bombarded with mosquitos, and managing these pests creates a challenge to balance the environmental friendliness of mitigation efforts with the outdoor recreational desires of our neighbors. The Town of Hayden values the sustainability of our environment as well as the quality of life of its residents, so every year, we continue to improve on our practices by using best-in-class solutions as well as advice and opinions of the community.
Due to an unusually long approval process from the federal government, we weren’t able to adequately control the mosquito nuisance this summer, and the Town leadership strongly apologizes for this inconvenience. For 2023, we are committed to filing for the necessary permits earlier to ensure a more enjoyable summer next year.
One of the beloved benefits of this community is the abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities. Protecting that benefit is key to the values of the Town.
Mosquitos tend to overwhelm our community due to the ‘perfect conditions’ that mosquitos often need … preferring wet conditions & taller grasses. When mosquitos are overwhelming, outdoor recreation can be a challenge for everyone. Mitigation, when done responsibly, can help everyone continue to enjoy the outdoors while being kind to our environment.
After years of improvements, the Town now uses the Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) approach. The AMCA defines this approach as “based on ecological, economic and social criteria and integrates multidisciplinary methodologies into pest management strategies that are practical and effective to protect public health and the environment and improve the quality of life.” This system is used along with insecticides; our program uses both truck and aerial spraying, using organic materials wherever possible.
To keep our residents safe, the Town of Hayden uses a variety of products and is constantly reviewing what is new & best in the industry. All products we use have gone through the CDC and EPA review process and are closely regulated to ensure minimal impacts on the environment and people. Our program also takes into account minimal impacts such as timing of spraying and mechanical methods. The Town uses a combination of organic and non-organic products. All products we use have been certified by the EPA as not risking organic farming status.
One treatment that the Town of Hayden uses is Merus 3.0 as a responsible solution for insecticides because it’s approved by the EPA for application as an Ultra Low Volume non-thermal aerosol and it’s compatible with organic farming. By meeting NOP standards, Merus® 3.0 can be used in or around organic crops without putting organic crop certification at risk.
The OMRI Listed status of Merus® 3.0 means its components meet the Organic Materials Review Institute standards for ingredients that can be used in organic production or processing, meeting USDA National Organic Program (NOP) standards.
Natural pyrethrins are a botanical insecticide produced primarily by flowers from the chrysanthemum family. Flowers from pyrethrum-producing plants are picked by hand, sun dried and sent to a processing plant for extraction of the active ingredient. In final formulation, Merus® 3.0 is a non-persistent adulticide with low acute toxicity that provides effective control without chemical synergists.
While the Town is doing everything we can to help with this challenge, there’s so much you can do too.
Visit the EPA website to Learn More
