Posted on 07/12/2012 1:38:38 AM PDT by grundle
MIAMI (CBSMIami) – Skeeters a problem? Lots of people think so, so Miami-Dade officials are calling in the cavalry; well, actually, the Air Force to kill the biting pests and their breeding grounds. However, the attack may come as a surprise because of how low the spraying planes fly.
The county and the Air Force announced the plans Monday as complaints continue to rise. Recent rainy weather has caused the mosquito population to bloom, something that can cause problems to people headed to cookouts and 4th of fireworks celebrations.
Normally spraying is done in the early morning hours, but nighttime spraying allows the county another whack at the population.
This newest round of mosquito control involves a large C-130 cargo plane based in Ohio to spray Homestead ARB and communities of Doral, West Sweetwater, Kendall, Homestead, Florida City and areas east of U.S. 1, where heavy concentrations of mosquitos have been reported.
According to county officials, what may startle people the most is how low the planes fly. People in spraying areas could see planes just 150 feet off the ground and might be startled into thinking the plane is in trouble, but they said that is perfectly normal for spraying operations.
The planes will be spraying the pesticide Dibrom for the last two hours of the day July 10th, 11th and 12th, ending operations about a half hour after sunsets. The Air Force last conducted spraying like this in South Florida last July.
If you raise bees, the county said you should keep them covered during spraying operations. If you have allergies or sensitivity to pesticides, the spraying planners suggest you stay inside.
People who have questions about the aerial spraying, or complaints about mosquitoes, can call the County’s 311 Answer Center.
(Excerpt) Read more at miami.cbslocal.com ...
I’m sure the courts have ruled that the mosquitoes are engaging in interstate commerce and therefore subject to federal regulation.
Or maybe this is one of those “as the Secretary of HHS may deem necessary” items in Obamacare.
If they are foreign mosquitos, posse commitus may apply. But if they are Mexican Mosquitos, the AF has to chase them down and give them little Green Cards.
If you choose not to have your property sprayed, you have to pay a tax.
We’ve had chemtrails for years.
It’s classic nose under the tent...
We are run by the federal government. They took over during the Clinton years.
So do you guys decrying the use of military aircraft for mosquito control also object to military aircraft dropping fire retardant? How about flood or earthquake relief? Good grief you’re paranoid.
TC
This article says it is the Air Force Reserve. I don’t trust the MSM to know the distinction between the Air Force and Air National Guard BTW. But in any case it would seem it was the local county officials who requested the assistance and are providing the pesticide, not the military arbitrarily deciding to spray the area, which BTW a large portion of which includes the Homestead Air Force base. Much ado about noting IMO.
EAT MORE MALATHION
Poisoned people, poisoned pets
Now we’re all like Vietnam vets
Spray each house and fruity crop
Rockabye baby in the tree top
Spray young lovers out on a spree
Improve their lives with chemistry
We’re Monsanto and we are Dow
And we don’t like people anyhow.
Herb Caen
That has been going on in SE Virginia for years and when we had our “big” earthquake last year I thought it was one of the 130’s overflying our house (until it seemed it was hovering rather than passing by).
I’m all for it. I think the military should never be used against the people but why not against fires and mosquito’s?
Ain’t nothin’ -
Been years since we all lived in Monroe Co. (Fl. Keys).
C-47’s were the spray planes which were out early mornings & dusk.
I have some old photos of them skimming the tree tops while dispensing clouds of insecticide. A walk to the store for the paper on Sunday morning could get exciting attempting to dodge the cloud(s). This would really freak out the tourists.
At times, when the air was still the entire island would be fog shrouded. It would take care of the bugs for a few days.
The planes would turn around out over the water and sometimes I swear the wingtips were only several feet above the surface.
Spray trucks were a fact of life.
The Air Force would bugspray our airfield in Vietnam and the place smelled like grapefruit afterward. No mosquitoes for days. I sprayed Agent Orange from a helicopter onto the treetops short of a mountain summit. The defoliation uncovered the remains of a Jap Zero fighter. That was forty years ago. Geez how the time flies.
Well I agree to a point. I spent some time in the Panama Canal Zone. Where I saw first hand what was finally accomplished by America(the Big Ditch —Panama Canal) Had it it not been for our American Govt. listening to the Military Doctors that
isthmus would remain the domain controlled by the mosquito born diseases Malaria and Yellow Fever. Seems to me this current controversy relates to that. It’s a question of which do you fear more the spraying—and mosquito control.... or the
other sides complaints? If our Govt. did Nothing and WestNile or other mosquito born disease increased exponentially would not the complaint be how the
Government had failed to protect the people?Catch 22.
***EAT MORE MALATHION***
Years ago, the farm magazine PROGRESSIVE FARMER had an article about a man whose profession was to eat DDT to prove it was safe. This was back in the late 1960s or early 70s.
Living in Erie County, NY which at one time used to spray for these pests, I wish they would do it again.
It is impossible to go outside and not get bit without some sort of repellent. For some reason Cutter does not work at all with the current insect population. Either the insects have evolved or Cutter has cut something out. The deer fly could pick up a small dog and carry it away.
The insects are at war with us so if a C130 were to fly overhead with some industrial strength BUG_BE_GONE I would be appreciative. They would also be free to drop the empty 55 gallon drums on any anti-spraying Nazis they may find.
Well... neither does playing doctor.
1> the military needs to practice chemical warfare somehow.
2> I believe that doing this at the request of the local government avoids the issue of Posse commitatus. I do not think it requires a call to the governor to get the base fire dept to help put out a structure fire outside the main gate.
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