Tyler Park Mosquito Spraying Set for Wednesday Evening

Tyler State Park will be sprayed for mosquitos Wednesday evening starting at 7:30 p.m., according to officials from the Bucks County Health Department.

The spray is planned because a July 30 test by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection found there were mosquitos infected with West Nile Virus at the park. Areas in the park that include Newtown and Northampton townships will be sprayed.

Tyler Park, which is open until sundown, will not close early for the operation, said Bill Roth of the Bucks County Health Department. However, he noted that park officials said there are not many people there during the late evening hours.

Spraying will take about an hour and a half, Roth said. The park will be open Thursday as usual and there will be no harmful effects to visitors as a result of the spraying.

The Bucks County West Nile Program will administer the treatments by truck and ATV. The two vehicles will dispense Duet Dual-Action Adulticide at a rate of 0.75 ounces per acre.

“The product is designed to provide quick, effective control of adult mosquito populations. The application material has a very low toxicity profile to mammals and will have negligible impact to non-target insects and the environment,” according to a press release from the DEP.

If weather conditions aren’t favorable, the back-up date for spraying will be Thursday.

Certain mosquito species carry the West Nile virus, which can cause humans to contract West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can result in an inflammation of the brain. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, all residents in areas where virus activity has been identified are at risk of contracting West Nile encephalitis.

For more information about West Nile virus and the state's surveillance and control program, visit www.westnile.state.pa.us.