One of Our Experts - Dr. Jennifer Tsuruda

One of our experts we interviewed is Jennifer Tsuruda, PhD Apiculture Specialist at Clemson University. Here is some valuable information that Dr. Tsuruda gave us concerning bees.

When people in a large area are getting sick or when large numbers of mosquitoes are found, airplanes can be used to treat very large areas with insecticides safely, quickly, and efficiently. This process is called aerial spraying. Below is more information on aerial spraying.

Is aerial spraying alone the best way to control mosquitoes?

• Aerial spraying is only one part of the solution for controlling mosquitoes, but it is the one method that can rapidly reduce the number of mosquitoes spreading Zika in a large area.

• It is the most effective method when large areas must be treated quickly.

• Aerial spraying is used as part of an integrated mosquito control program to quickly reduce the number of mosquitoes responsible for infecting people with viruses like Zika, dengue, or chikungunya.

Will aerial spraying kill bees?

• Aerial spraying can be done in ways that minimize risk to bees.

• Spraying Naled can kill bees outside of their hives at the time of spraying; therefore, spraying is limited to dawn or dusk when bees are inside their hives.