Mosquitoes on Lake Minnetonka Already?
We get a couple warm days and the Minnesota state bird comes out of hiding. Mosquitoes are already starting to hatch. I killed one slow moving one last night! Since they are cold blooded, they slow down when it cools off (it was about 50 degrees when his short life was ended!).
The Metropolitan Mosquito Control (MMCD) is actually out already also. They report that this is 14 days ahead of the typical spring start up. Surprisingly they actually treat mosquitoes all year around, taking off only October to January. I can’t imagine how the treat them in February, but they do! There are 53 permanent employees and 180 seasonal ones. During the winter they work on setting up plans for the coming season.
The MMCD is funded by property taxes. In 2009, their programs are expected to cost the owner of a typical $250,000 home about $12.25 per year. They are actually a local government agency that serves the entire metro area and collect property taxes via a special taxing district within their service area.
The choppers will be in the air this week and they will begin to spray the area around Lake Minnetonka Homes. Initially they are treating 1000 acres in Southern Hennepin County in the cities of: Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Wayzata, Medina, Orono, Shorewood, Maple Plain, Minnetrista, Mound, Eden Prairie and Woodland. The helicopters fly about 50 feet above the ground to release a dry, grain like poison that kills mosquitoes in their larva state. The poison does not kill or affect adult mosquitoes. It is simply to kill them off before they can fly.
Areas around Lake Minnetonka homes get extra attention because of the large expanses of wetlands and marshy areas that are perfect breading grounds for the little nasties. The dry weather this year has kept the population down so far. But lots of rain in a short period of time, plus warm temperatures, can change that quickly as it generally means more mosquitoes.
I am a licensed Realtor in the State of Minnesota. This website is not a multiple listing service, but each Minnesota & Minneapolis real estate agent is a member of the Regional MLS of MN, inc., a provider of the Minnesota MLS.
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