Contact Information
Department Head
Carl Johnson – EMAIL
(406) 874-3371
Weed control/mosquito Supervisor
Amanada Rohlfing – EMAIL
Mosquito Life Cycle | US EPA: What’s their lifespan?
Pest Survival Guide, explaining the lifecycle of the Mosquito.
Our goal in spraying mosquitos is actually in the interest of public health by interrupting the life cycle of the mosquito, we can slow or prevent mosquito born illnesses spread to people by mosquitoes to include Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue, and malaria (Mosquito-Borne Diseases | NIOSH | CDC).
When the mosquitos become active here in Custer County, we will start our mitigation activities, which will include our use of fogger trucks within the mosquito district. The Custer County Mosquito District trucks use Fyfanon ULV made by Cheminova (EPA Reg No. 67760-34), which has an active ingredient of Malathion. The EPA completed exceptional research in safety and recommendations for use of Malathion for mosquito mitigation (Malathion | US EPA).
2024 Spraying Season starts after Memorial Day Weekend.
The Custer County Mosquito District regular spraying schedule starts after Memorial Day, on each Monday and Thursday, after sundown, weather permitting.
This cycle of application should be sufficient in interrupting the mosquito life-cycle in the given week without a gap in coverage. Spraying after the sun goes down helps in limiting pollinators and others from exposure to these chemicals while also catching the mosquitos while they are at their most active.
I have personally returned calls to all who have left messages and your input and concerns are understood and appreciated. We, myself and all the mosquito applicators, live in the district and contend with the same issues. Thank you again for your assistance, patience, and input. We cannot spray until after the sun goes down, so as to allow the bees and other friendly pollinators to make it to their homes before we engage the mosquitos. Luckily, the mosquitos are most active between dusk and dawn. Weather will still trump our mitigation efforts, as spraying in the rain is futile. Right after the rain, however, is a great time to engage them.
Please feel free to leave a message at 406.874.3371, should you have any further questions or concerns.