The City of Laramie Mosquito Control program has scheduled aerial application of a biological larvicide near Laramie for Thursday.

According to a news release from the City of Laramie Parks and Recreation Department, which oversees mosquito control operations, the targets are nuisance mosquito larvae in irrigated areas and floodwater near Laramie. The larvicide will not be applied aerially within the city limits.

The aerial application will be made along the Big Laramie River in two areas: from the city limits near Cottonwood estates to about 10 miles southwest of Laramie, and north of Laramie along the Big Laramie River about a mile north of town near Barnstormers and the Martin-Marietta Ready Mix plant.

The larvicide being used is Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, also known as Bti. The city says Bti is environmentally-friendly and does not harm birds, fish, amphibians, mammals or other aquatic insects.

According to the National Pesticide Information Center, Bacillus thuringiensis is a microbe naturally found in soil. It produces proteins that are toxic to immature insects, but those toxins can only be activated by the target insect larvae. Strains of Bacillus thuringiensis such as Bti are found in over 180 registered pesticide products.

The National Pesticide Information Center’s fact sheet on Bacillus thuringiensis says in a study that surveyed people before and after aerial applications of the larvicide, most people were not affected. Some people with hay fever, however, reported symptoms such as difficulty sleeping and concentrating, upset stomach and nose and/or throat irritation.

Application is set to begin at daylight Thursday and wrap up in the late afternoon. Should inclement weather put a hold on the application, the city says it will be rescheduled for Friday at the same time.

The city says no cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed in Albany County. In the last couple of days, the risk of infection has been upgraded to level one, indicating low risk.

Keith Wardlaw, Mosquito Control Crew Supervisor, says recent mosquito trapping has turned up a few vectors of West Nile -- three mosquitos, to be exact, out of the 20,000-30,000 trapped.

For more information on mosquito control application schedules, call the Mosquito Control and Integrated Pest Management Hotline at 721-5056. The hotline is updated at 4 p.m. daily, and will also have information about any chemical application made by parks division crews.

Daily information is also available at CityofLaramie.org. Check the box in the upper left corner to find planned applications for the evening and the following day.

For more information, contact Wardlaw at 721-5258, or call Parks and Recreation Director Todd Feezer at 721-5260.

More From Laramie Live