top of page
pexels-kaboompics-com-5865.jpg

Safer Mosquito Control

Is Your Mosquito Control Company Misleading You?

Some mosquito control companies are not honest or clear about what they use on your property. They may claim to use safe, eco-friendly products derived from flowers and plant extracts when they are really using synthetic chemicals called pyrethroids that can harm human health and the environment. 

What Are Pyrethroids?

Pyrethroid insecticides are synthetic chemicals that kill mosquitos by causing paralysis and death [1]. These insecticides effectively kill adult mosquitos, but they can also harm humans, animals, and the environment [2]. While these pesticides are regulated and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), using them still has adverse environmental consequences [3].

Did you know that state/county Mosquito Control Divisions do not recommend persistent broadcast insecticide use on properties even if the insecticide is "all natural?"

Doing so increases insecticide resistance, exposure risks to humans, animals and the environment. Broadcast spraying synthetic insecticides also kills pollinators, and other beneficial insects that help control mosquito populations [2,3,4]—in a sense, the more you spray, the more you may have to spray.

​

"Be aware that applying a pesticide to kill flying mosquitos is a temporary fix. Unless the water source supporting mosquito larvae is addressed, biting mosquitos will quickly return."

(Monmouth County New Jersey Mosquito Control Commission)

Baby Playing in Grass.jpeg

Harm to Humans

Are the potential risks of using pyrethroids for mosquito control worth the benefit?

Bao, Wei, et al. “Association between Exposure to Pyrethroid Insecticides and Risk of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality in the General US Adult Population.” JAMA Internal Medicine, 30 Dec. 2019, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.6019 Accessed 

15 Aug. 2023.

​

Laugeray, Anthony, et al. “In Utero and Lactational Exposure to Low-Doses of the Pyrethroid Insecticide Cypermethrin Leads to Neurodevelopmental Defects in Male Mice—an Ethological and Transcriptomic Study.” PLOS ONE, vol. 12, no. 10, 11 Oct. 2017, pp. e0184475–e0184475, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0184475 Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.

​

“Common Pesticide Linked to Higher Risk of Death from Heart Disease.” Harvard Health, 1 Apr. 2020, www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/common-pesticide-linked-to-higher-risk-of-death-from-heart-disease#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20pyrethroids%2C%20a%20common Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

​

Hansen, Martin Rune Hassan, et al. “Neurological Deficits after Long-Term Pyrethroid Exposure.” Environmental Health Insights, vol. 11, 2017, p. 1178630217700628, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28469448/, https://doi.org/10.1177/1178630217700628 Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

​

Horton, M. K., et al. “Impact of Prenatal Exposure to Piperonyl Butoxide and Permethrin on 36-Month Neurodevelopment.” PEDIATRICS, vol. 127, no. 3, 7 Feb. 2011, pp. e699–e706, https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-0133 Accessed 4 Nov. 2021.

​

Islam, Jessica Y., et al. “Respiratory and Allergic Outcomes among 5-Year-Old Children Exposed to Pesticides.” Thorax, vol. 78, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2023, pp. 41–49, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35210357/, https://doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-218068 Accessed 27 July 2023.

​

Kamel, Freya, et al. “PESTICIDE EXPOSURE and AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS.” Neurotoxicology, vol. 33, no. 3, 1 June 2012, pp. 457–462, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358481/, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2012.04.001 Accessed 15 Aug 2023

​

Lee, Kyung-Shin, et al. “The Association of Prenatal and Childhood Pyrethroid Pesticide Exposure with School-Age ADHD Traits.” Environment International, vol. 161, Mar. 2022, p. 107124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107124 Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.

​

Navarrete-Meneses, María del Pilar, and Patricia Pérez-Vera. “Pyrethroid Pesticide Exposure and Hematological Cancer: Epidemiological, Biological and Molecular Evidence.” Reviews on Environmental Health, vol. 34, no. 2, 26 June 2019, pp. 197–210, https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2018-0070 Accessed 10 Mar. 2020.

PesticideSprayTruckRedWide(3).png

Harm To Agriculture

Whether synthetic or natural, broad-spectrum insecticides don't just kill mosquitoes; they are also highly toxic to beneficial insects that help keep mosquitoes at bay, including honey bees. Honey bees are important, they pollinate billions of dollars worth of crops per year, and global food production relies on their contribution [5,6].

 

"...protecting honey bees and other pollinators from pesticide impacts is important to the sustainability of agriculture"

(University of Florida)[7].

What Can You Do?

Reach out to The Green Yard Project, or contact your local state/county Mosquito Control Division to learn about their Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices that are proven to reduce mosquito populations in your area in the safest way possible [8]. Some mosquito control divisions will even inspect your property free of charge, and will offer guidance on what can be done on your property to reduce mosquitos most effectively.

​

Avoid Being Fooled

  • Ask for all the ingredients and their concentrations for every product they use. If they refuse to provide this information or give unclear answers, look for another mosquito control company.

  • Examine the labels of the products they use. Look for EPA registration numbers or warnings. If the products are not registered by the EPA, or have statements such as "harmful if swallowed," "avoid contact with skin," etc. they are likely synthetic chemicals that can be dangerous [9].

  • One exception: if any products are not registered with the EPA, they could be 25(b) exempt, meaning they are minimum risk pesticides exempted from EPA registration. In this case, ask for verification of their 25(b) exemption [10].

  • If they claim that their products are natural/organic, look for other third-party verifications or certifications from trusted organizations such as OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) or EcoCert that certify that the products meet natural or organic standards.

  • Compare the prices and services of different companies. If a company offers very low prices or guarantees 100% mosquito elimination, they may be using cheap, dangerous, and/or ineffective products that can harm you and the environment.

Sources

[1] “Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids | Public Health Statement | ATSDR.” https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/PHS/PHS.aspx?phsid=785&toxid=153

[2] National Wildlife Foundation . “National Wildlife Federation .” National Wildlife Federation , National Wildlife Federation , www.nwf.org/-/media/Documents/PDFs/Garden-for-Wildlife/Tip-Sheets/Best-Practices-for-Managing-Mosquitoes.ashx?la=en&hash=6CFF355B7DB743C7CFF53DC4FF24DDAF5CE96F8F Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.

[3] “What You Need to Know before Spraying for Mosquitoes • the National Wildlife Federation Blog.” The National Wildlife Federation Blog, 2 Sept. 2020, blog.nwf.org/2020/09/what-you-need-to-know-before-spraying-for-mosquitoes/

[4] “Pyrethrins vs. Pyrethroids: What’s the Difference?” MGK, 22 Sept. 2020, www.mgk.com/pyrethrins-vs-pyrethroids-whats-the-difference-blog/ Accessed Aug. 21 2023

[5] Contributor, Bayer. “Bayer BrandVoice: The Value of Pollinators to the Ecosystem and Our Economy.” Forbes, www.forbes.com/sites/bayer/2019/10/14/the-value-of-pollinators-to-the-ecosystem-and-our-economy/?sh=f7cbeb7a1d65 Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.

[6] “Pesticide Deadly to Bees Now Easily Detected in Honey.” Waterloo News, 24 Nov. 2020, uwaterloo.ca/news/science/pesticide-deadly-bees-now-easily-detected-honey Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.

[7] “ENY-162/IN1027: Minimizing Honey Bee Exposure to Pesticides.” Edis.ifas.ufl.edu, edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1027

[8] US EPA. “Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles.” US EPA, 20 June 2018, www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles.

4475 Accessed 13 Aug. 2023.

[9] Environmental Labeling Issues, Policies, and Practices Worldwide Recycled/Recyclable • Printed with Vegetable Based Inks on Recycled Paper (20% Postconsumer) https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/wwlabel3.pdf Accessed 21 Aug. 2023‌

[10] OFFICE of CHEMICAL SAFETY and POLLUTION PREVENTION Inert Ingredients Eligible for FIFRA 25(B) Pesticide Products. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-11/documents/minrisk_inert_ingredients_w_tolerances_2016-11-16.pdf Accessed 21 Aug. 2023

bottom of page