Common Nighthawk with two hatchlings found on Craney Island. Nighthawks feed exclusively on insects, and diet analysis has found that they are capable of eating 500 mosquitoes per day. (U.S. Army Photo/Keith Lockwood)
Craney Island - Mosquito Control
About the Project
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates and manages the 2,500-acre dredged material area at Craney Island in Portsmouth, Virginia. These operations include mosquito surveillance and control activities. These mosquito surveillance and control activities are in accord with the Department of Defense guidelines on reducing the risk of mosquito-borne diseases and have the added benefit of reducing nuisance mosquito populations at Craney Island and the adjacent areas of Portsmouth, Virginia.
The City of Portsmouth, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Navy have been coordinating and working hard to monitor and control a potential increase in mosquito numbers. All three organizations have been actively performing source control removing standing water and mosquito control targeting mosquito larvae in potential breeding areas at each facility. The Federal and City partners have plans to continue to treat breeding areas as environmental conditions favorable for mosquito breeding occur.
The Norfolk District has awarded a contract to control mosquito populations at the Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area. This contract includes the aerial spraying of larvicides, which are pesticides designed to attack mosquito larvae. Application of the larvicides can be conducted with a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft. The Corps has conducted ground-based treatment during the period of May and June 2010 and resumed in August 2010 as a result of recent rainfall events.
Updated: 11-Aug-2010