Suffolk County: Spraying salt marshes for mosquitoes

Suffolk County vector control is planning to spray salt marshes Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. to target mosquito larvae, county health department officials said.

The pesticides VectoBac 12AS liquid concentrate and Altosid liquid larvicide concentrate are to be sprayed, weather permitting, over marsh areas by helicopter at low altitude, officials said.

County officials said that residents don’t need to take precautions, as any human exposure is unlikely and the pesticide has “no significant human toxicity.”

Spraying is to be conducted in areas of the towns of Babylon, Islip, Brookhaven, Southampton, East Hampton, Riverhead and Southold.

Besides being annoying, some mosquito bites can transmit West Nile virus to people.