Vegetable gardens and Mosquito Squad

[Anonymous]

I got the yard sprayed by Mosquito Squad and want to know if I will not be able to safely consume vegetables from my garden.

Does anyone have any links to this from reputable third-party sources? Sadly, I'd rather go without my veggies than get eaten alive. But if there is a safe and effective way to wash them, I'd like to know.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

You should ask Mosquito Squad exactly which pesticides they sprayed your yard with. Then look up those pesticides.

[Anonymous]

Water

[Anonymous]

your fruits and vegetables wont be able to be pollinated by bees since mosquito squad uses chemicals known to cause colony collapse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:your fruits and vegetables wont be able to be pollinated by bees since mosquito squad uses chemicals known to cause colony collapse.

Exactly, you should be more worried about the bees.

[Anonymous]

MS sprays a permethrin-based pesticide, right? The EPA says that it is “Likely to be Carcinogenic to Humans” by the oral route."

http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/permethrin_fs.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:your fruits and vegetables wont be able to be pollinated by bees since mosquito squad uses chemicals known to cause colony collapse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:your fruits and vegetables wont be able to be pollinated by bees since mosquito squad uses chemicals known to cause colony collapse.

Not the PP, but why the eye roll? You don't believe it?

Even if MS is not causing colony collapse, the fact is that the pyrethroids kill all insects, including bees, butterlies, ladybugs, and fireflies. It doesn't distinguish between good bugs and bad bugs. It is indiscriminate. Don't fool yourself that this isn't bad for the environment.

[Anonymous]

You can ask them not to spray specific areas.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine the yard without fireflies!
They have just appeared and their numbers will steadily go up. No spraying here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can ask them not to spray specific areas.

I know people who sprayed Roundup on poison ivy and had their tomato plants die at other end of the yard. Just a moderate breeze can cause a drift, so I doubt that asking them to not spray one small section of the yard wil be sufficient to keep the chemicals out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MS sprays a permethrin-based pesticide, right? The EPA says that it is “Likely to be Carcinogenic to Humans” by the oral route."

http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/permethrin_fs.htm

So go for it, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can ask them not to spray specific areas.

I know people who sprayed Roundup on poison ivy and had their tomato plants die at other end of the yard. Just a moderate breeze can cause a drift, so I doubt that asking them to not spray one small section of the yard wil be sufficient to keep the chemicals out.

Which is why certified pesticide applicators (I assume that Mosquito Squad's people are certified pesticide applicators) know that they're not supposed to spray if the wind is above a certain speed.

Note: I'm not endorsing spraying your yard for mosquitoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MS sprays a permethrin-based pesticide, right? The EPA says that it is “Likely to be Carcinogenic to Humans” by the oral route."

http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/REDs/factsheets/permethrin_fs.htm

OP here, thanks good to know. I won't eat them. I'll just let the rabbits have them.

Anyone know the status of the new treatment for Mosquitos that is being done in Africa? It's part of some big project Bill Gates is doing. It differs in that it effects only Mosquitos and without the harmful effects to people r the environment. Some different type of mechanism is in place. Wondering if this is coming here or if there are any new alternatives to getting rid of them. I've tried every natural remedy discussed with poor results.

[Anonymous]

I heard an interesting Radiolab podcast about it. They basically bioengineer sterile Mosquitos that outcompete the native fertile ones. They lay eggs that don't successfully develop into mosquitos. I don't remember the details now but it was very successful at lowering the number of mosquitos in urban areas. The episode is called Kill 'Em All.
http://www.radiolab.org/story/kill-em-all/

Not sure if that's the same as Gates' program.

I got new gutters and noticed much fewer mosquitos. One gutter was not level and water did not drain from it very well. I kept getting our gutter cleaning company to regrade my gutters, but they never did it enough. Finally, I got new gutters and now it drains, and we have reduced one BIG source of standing water.