Why is that helicopter flying so low over wetlands?

Mark down the week of May 23 on your calendar. Draw a little mosquito on it.

When your social media starts filling up with questions about low-flying helicopters on that date, you will now remember to smugly remind everyone that it’s mosquito-spraying season once again, and the choppers in the air now may mean fewer blood-sucking insects later.

The Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project will begin enhanced larval treatment plans for Eastern Equine Encephalitis mitigation the week of May 23, which will target a mosquito species of concern for EEE transmission. This same program was used in the town in May of 2020 and 2021.

Applications of the enhanced larval treatment will run for two to three days in Grafton, and total flight time over the town should be less than two hours. The exact application dates are uncertain at this time, as low winds and minimal rain are necessary for the applications to take place.

This is not a “wide area aerial application” that is part of the municipal opt-out program in place by the State Reclamation Board — that is only for aerial spraying of adult mosquitoes using an aerosol insecticide. The enhanced larval treatment taking place the week of May 23 is for applications of a certified organic, granular form of bacteria only over wetlands outlined on the maps.

In addition to Grafton, the CMMCP will deploy enhanced larval treatment plans in Ashland, Shrewsbury, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Marlborough, Milford, Northborough, Northbridge, Southborough and Westborough.

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