Suffolk to spray for mosquitoes on Fire Island

Suffolk County has scheduled ground spraying of the pesticide Anvil on Tuesday, weather permitting, with an eye toward mosquito control, county health officials said.

Spraying is planned for 6 to 10 p.m. for all streets in the Fire Island communities of Davis Park and Point O’Woods.

The chances of experiencing health effects from the ground spraying are “quite low,” the health department said, but children and pregnant women should avoid exposure by staying clear of the area during spraying and at least 30 minutes after.

Among the protective measures the department suggests are closing doors, windows and air-conditioning vents before the spraying, and keeping them closed for 30 minutes after it ends.

In addition to being annoying, some mosquitoes’ bites can transmit West Nile virus to people. This year, there is also a concern about the Zika virus, which can be transmitted by a certain type of mosquito that has not been found on Long Island.

Health officials say residents can help make areas around their homes unfriendly to mosquitoes by:

• Regularly looking for and eliminating even the smallest amounts of standing water, which is where the insects reproduce — including cans, buckets and other containers, as well as old tires, tarps, pool covers and children’s toys.
• Drilling drainage holes at the bottom of garbage cans, changing birdbath water at least weekly and making sure roof gutters are unclogged and draining properly.
• Adding fish to circulate water in any backyard ponds, and clearing pond edges of debris and vegetation.