NOTICE: Brunswick County to Conduct Aerial Mosquito Spraying Operations

From Friday to Tuesday, October 11 - 15, 2024, Brunswick County Government will conduct Aerial Spraying for Mosquitoes throughout the entire County, beginning at DUSK each evening, weather permitting. This effort is part of an emergency response to the increased mosquito populations caused by heavy rainfall and flooding from Tropical Storm Debby and Potential Tropical Cyclone #8. 

IMPORTANT: As shown in the Map Graphic below, spraying over the ISLAND portion of the Town of Oak Island is expected on Friday & Saturday, October 11 & 12, while spraying over the MAINLAND portions can occur from October 11 - 13.  

PLEASE NOTE: This information has been provided by Brunswick County Government, with the direct notice copied below, or available at www.brunswickcountync.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=299

BOLIVIA, N.C. – Aerial spraying for mosquitoes in Brunswick County will begin Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, weather permitting. The countywide aerial spraying is part of Brunswick County’s emergency response to the increased mosquito populations caused by heavy rainfall and flooding from Tropical Storm Debby and Potential Tropical Cyclone #8.

During the regular meeting on Oct. 7, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved issuing a Notice to Proceed for Vector Disease Control International (VDCI) to perform aerial mosquito control for the populated areas of Brunswick County.

VDCI crews are scheduled to begin using airplanes to spray insecticides over the county during the week of Oct. 11 through Oct. 18, weather permitting. Spraying will start at dusk. Click here to view the aerial spraying schedule and map of planned routes.

Exact routes are subject to change depending on weather conditions. If weather conditions delay spraying, it will begin Monday, Oct. 14 or any subsequent day as weather conditions allow.

When applied by a licensed vector control professional who follows label instructions, aerial spraying poses minimal risk to people, pets, animals, and the environment. Aerial spraying uses very low volumes of either adulticide or larvicide, so you are not likely to breathe or touch anything that has enough insecticide on it to harm you.

That being said, individuals located in the areas being sprayed are encouraged to avoid being outside during evening hours if possible as there is a possibility that spraying adulticides can cause eye irritation if a person is outside when spraying takes place. 

Due to the timing of this service, the aerial spraying is not anticipated to affect insects like butterflies and dragonflies as they are less active at night, but beekeepers should take precautions to protect their hives (see details below).

Ground-based operations will begin follow-up ground spraying via trucks as soon as areas with additional needs are identified.

Learn more about Mosquito Control at brunswickcountync.gov/mosquito-control.

For additional questions, contact Brunswick County Mosquito Control at 910.253.2515 or email MosquitoControl@brunswickcountync.gov.

Information for Beekeepers in Brunswick County

Insecticides will be sprayed from airplanes across Brunswick County during the week of Oct. 11 through Oct. 18 to reduce the mosquito population and associated public health risk. These sprays may have negative impacts on honeybees including hive losses if precautions are not made in advance.

To better protect the public and insects like bees, sprays are scheduled for dusk when honeybees are less active, and the product selected is less persistent in the atmosphere for safer foraging the following day.

Please take the following actions to protect your bees:

• Move your bees out of the county until the sprays end.
• Cover your hives with wet burlap or another material to prevent foraging.
• Tell other beekeepers so they can avoid colony loss during this necessary aerial application.

Any changes to the daily spraying schedule will be publicized as more information is available.

Any beekeepers who have questions or are not registered should call N.C. Cooperative Extension – Brunswick County Center at 910-253-2610 or visit brunswick.ces.ncsu.edu for information.

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries, contact Communications Director Meagan Kascsak.

• Email Meagan Kascsak
• Phone: 910.253.2995