The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) has proven its value treating for mosquitos, fleas and ticks. Helicopters have been widely used for treatment in the past. Now, MMCD technicians are leading the way for drone surveillance and treatment.
“With the help of drone technology, mosquito treatment has never been faster.”
– Source: MMCD
Drones are primarily used near farmland, or heavily wooded areas. Without treatment drones, a technician would have to travel by foot to these sites, equipped with heavy larvicide blower-backpacks. Thanks to this new technology, an MMCD treatment drone can cover multiple acres of land in a few minutes!
MMCD prevention tasks include:
- Wetland surveillance for mosquito larvae.
- Catch basin surveillance to determine if mosquito larvae are present.
- Ground larval treatments by hand or with a backpack.
- Helicopter larval treatments to wetlands
- Drone larval treatments
- Setting or collecting traps to determine mosquito activity
– Source: MMCD
Insect control materials and methods used by MMCD are regularly analyzed for safety. The materials are not harmful to people, pets, or wildlife. For a complete list of materials used, visit MMCD.org.
The MMCD services make summer life enjoyable in the counties served. It is funded through the line item Metropolitan Special Taxing District Services on property tax statements. The district covers Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington, and eastern Carver Counties.
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*What started with one PV22 drone has expanded into modified Agras T10 and T30 drones. See a sample drone performance here.
