If you are referring to chemical control, then I would have to disagree. The fall out and harm from chemical mosquito control is scary. I would rather completely cover my child and take my own precautions than let that stuff be sprayed in our environment.

I fully agree with anonymous, I think they should spray for the mosquitos. i don't think they should wait till they have a reported case of west nile since they don't know if the first case recorded in P.A. will actually kill/harm the person (and we all know that if and when West Nile shows up there's going to be a big uproar about spraying them anyway especially if it's a infant/elderly person who contracts it). I understand that mosquitoes bite and even spraying the swamps, sloughs, etc around P.A. won't stop them completely, all i'm saying is that the city should bring the numbers of mosquitoes down so that everyone can enjoy the weather. And, dealing with the chemicals being put out in the environment, what about the repellents that so many people in P.A. buy from the stores that have Deet in them (not to mention all the other chemicals people put on their lawns that are horrible for the environment)...no one says anything to them when they pick it up off the shelf, take it home and attempt to do it themselves. At least when the city sprays it's controlled...they know where they sprayed, how much was used and i bet they even keep track of when it's done (and yes i know there are some people (not alot) that keep track of when they spray their lawns)

It's one of those things. Nobody likes being exposed to chemical sprays and even fewer like the deaded mosquito.

Personally I do agree that waiting until a West Nile case is not really prevention and yes I do agree that the mosquito's are horrible this year.

I completely agree with you. My window screens constantly are a blanket of mosquitoes. I get it that its been a wet year but wow is there nothing that can be done.

I wonder how the do gooders would cry foul if one of their own caught the West Nile........

I believe being proactive as opposed to reactionary is a much better course of action!!

This city really needs to spray before someone does get sick. After they are sick its to late to spray come on Scarrow get with it.

i haven't tried this yet, but was told that if you take a bounce fabric sheet and rub it on your clothes
it supposedly repels those nasty little vampires;

1 the province used to give grants to cities towns and rm's to do mosquito control, they no longer do. It is not cheap. What are you willing to give up so the city can spray. 2 will all the people who have standing water in their yards remove it? I think not. 3 unless every town or rm around PA sprays the wind will blow more mosquitos in to town. 4 you can spray today and a new batch will be here by tommorrow unless every bit of standing water is drained or treated, every place including all farms spray their property, including all crown land around PA. So you can spray all you want for your couple days of relief or just do like you have done every year complain and put up with it. I realize summer is short but so is lifeso get over it.

You should be calling darrell hickey!!!!

I'd take my chance with West Nile over the harmful effects that could be caused by chemical sprays.

I would rather have civic/municipal employes do the spraying rather than homeowners hap-hazzardly spraying insecticides. I have a neighbour who sprays roundup when the wind is blowing. Just does not fizz on him that it carries in the wind.

i don't care who sprays just kill the Mosquito s. when a person doesn't want to go outside i think its time to spray.

Kill the mosquitos and you kill off birds and other good bugs.

Ill deal with the mosquitos thanks

Other cities, Ottawa for example, have completely given up on spraying mosquitos and promote bird and bat houses to control insects. Spraying kills a few mosquitoes and a lot of their predators, then the next breeze brings in more mosquitoes and there are no predators left to control them. Besides how can anyone want those chemicals with their long term side effects being dumped on their neighbourhood?

THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO THOSE WHO SAID THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE WEST NILE THAT DEAL WITH THE PESTICIDES. I HAD WEST NILE 4 YEARS AGO THIS YEAR. IT WAS THE NEUROLOGICAL ONE. IT WAS THE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. I WAS OFF WORK FOR A YEAR AND I STILL HAVE SIDE EFFECTS FROM IT. THE SPECIALIST TOLD ME THAT I WAS LUCKY BECAUSE I WAS THE PERFECT AGE FOR GETTING IT, I WAS 32 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME. I WAS A BELIEVER IN THE ALL NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR MOSQUITO'S UNTIL THIS HAPPENED. I BASICALLY MISSED A YEAR OF MY KIDS LIFE BECAUSE OF THE PAIN I ENDURED. SO TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT WEST NILE IS NOTHING, I WOULD DEFINALTEY RETHINK THAT, AS I WOULDN'T EVEN WISH IT UPON MY WORST ENEMY.

THE YEAR THAT I GOT WEST NILE THEY DIDN'T EVEN SPRAY EVEN AFTER THERE WAS A HUGE OUT BREAK, AND THEY WEREN'T EVEN AS BAD THAT YEAR AS THEY ARE THIS YEAR. COME ON LETS GET RID OF THESE DANGEROUS PESTS.

No matter how many chemicals you bombard the city with you will never get rid of the mosquitoes. On the other hand killing all the birds and other critters that eat mosquitoes only means you need to spray more and more often to try to keep them under control. That being said larvaecides on the standing water is a proven method of skitter control and the elimination of breading places and places for the skitters to live during the day also helps. Get rid of any standing water that isn't needed, like that old tire behind the fence that has three inches of water and 2000 mosquito larvae in it, cut your grass and demand the city cuts their grass in parks and empty lots. But complaining about the city not spraying aint gonna cure anything and any parent who has a child that is sensitive to the pesticides you want used has the right to protect their child from being exposed to those chemicals. And don’t forget that cancer from excess exposure to chemicals kills way more people every year than west nile.