What does the parish use to spray for mosquitoes? Does it kill bees?

Scott Willis, director of Calcasieu Parish Mosquito Control, said officials use state- and federally approved mosquitocides “within the label rate that is not harmful to our environment and that is safe for people.”

Several of the mosquitocides officials use are pyrethroids, synthetic forms of an insecticide found in chrysanthemums, he said. Among them is permethrin, which is used to control fleas, spiders, roaches and garden pest insects, Willis said.

Many of the chemicals Mosquito Control uses, he said, are found in pest control products that residents buy in Lowe’s, The Home Depot, Wal-Mart and feed stores.

Willis said all insecticides can harm bees and other pollinators and that Mosquito Control takes steps to limit their exposure to the chemicals.

“One spray practice we use to protect pollinators is to spray 30 minutes after sunset so that bees are back in their hives,” he wrote in an email. 

“We also have local bee growers’ hives mapped throughout the parish and do our best to avoid spraying these areas.”

 

Follow-up: Tax money would pay for facility

The Informer on Wednesday answered a question about the cost to the city of a regional water-retention facility that the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury plans to build near Contraband Bayou.

The Police Jury earlier this year voted to buy 14.4 acres of land for the project, and the city and Ward 3 Gravity Drainage District 4 agreed to split half of the cost.

City planner Mike Huber said the city — which hasn’t agreed to help fund the facility itself — would use “gaming revenue, sales tax collections and general fund reserves” to cover its 25 percent share.

Parish Administrator Bryan Beam said in March that the parish would cover its 50 percent share of the land purchase using proceeds from an existing 4-mill road and drainage property tax — a levy that brings in about $7.5 million a year.

Parish officials have said that the detention pond, along Louisiana Avenue near East McNeese Street, would cost about $5 million to build. 

Beam said Wednesday that the primary source of funding for the facility would be the parish road and drainage property tax. Additionally, he said, the parish may have to use some of the proceeds from its 1.5 percent sales tax.

For more info: www.cityoflakecharles.com; www.cppj.net.

 

The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.