Will County Gazette

The Bolingbrook Village Board voted to approve a contract for mosquito abatement services in the community during the board's regular meeting on April 25.

The  board approved a contract with Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management Inc., a company that has worked with the village for the past five years, trustee Michael T. Lawler said. The board approved a contract for $34,260, which will include general service treatment, surveillance and monitoring, and larva control on top of the three helicopter pre-hatch treatments. The amount represented less than half of the $70,000 for mosquito abatement the board had budgeted. Co-administrator Lucas Rickelman said Clarke also makes note of mosquito activity in the area.

"We also monitor mosquitoes three places throughout town, which is included in this," he said. "And that's really kind of where we look at seeing what's going on. So that way, you know, we're not just getting a phone call saying there's a lot of mosquitoes and then going out and spraying. There's three different locations throughout town. It's monitored three times a week. We get the readings from the trap. There's a lot of other things that can go into deciding when to spray. The conditions have to be right overnight. Can't be too windy, can be cold out. They do use a natural product."

Lawler added that Clarke “can also do backpack barrier festival treatments for an additional cost of $564 per treatment,” and he reminded the board that the treatment “targets mosquito larvae that carry the West Nile virus. So it's a very useful service. Clarke is the leader in the area for the service.” 

Trustee Sheldon Watts asked for more details on the spraying and timelines, asking if residents can have access to the information about the service that the board has been given.

Rickelman said the targeted treatment of inlets was intended to prevent larvae from developing. The spray is also done during proper weather conditions and overnight, to avoid the highest degree of contract with any people or pets. The treatment is different than the Illinois State Department of Agriculture's spraying for spongy moth that will occur in June, which is a very infrequent treatment done every few years upon inspection. That spraying is also completely harmless to all people, animals, and plants, Rickelman said.