Blake Landscapes is proud to announce that we have been awarded the contract to spray for ticks in Loudoun County Parks as part of the county’s effort to mitigate the Lyme disease epidemic. Below is the county’ press release on the program:
For Immediate Release
April 20, 2012
Media Contact: Anna Nissinen, Public Affairs and Communications Officer
703.777.0113
Spraying for Ticks Scheduled to Begin at Selected County Parks on April 24
As part of Loudoun County’s increased efforts to prevent Lyme disease, the county will begin applying an insecticide aimed at reducing the tick population at several county-owned parks. The spraying will be done only on weekdays and will end no later than 2:30 p.m. each day. The schedule, weather permitting, is as follows:
Tuesday, April 24 Franklin Park
Wednesday, April 25 Woodgrove Park, Nell Boone Park
Thursday, April 26 Mickie Gordon Park
Friday, April 27 Lucketts Park
Monday, April 30 Claude Moore Park
Tuesday, May 1 Phil Bolen Park
Wednesday, May 2 Ashburn Park and Conklin Park
The product being used, Talstar, is a Bifenthrin-based product and will be delivered using a variety of spray methods depending on the park. The county’s contractor for the project, Blake Landscaping, will post signs at the parks prior to the spraying. Signs also will be posted afterwards stating that the area has just been sprayed. Staff from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services will also be at the parks to help make sure that patrons do not enter the sprayed areas until the product has dried, as recommended. The spraying schedule is based upon good weather and may change as Talstar cannot be sprayed in the rain or if there is a chance of significant rain within 24 hours.
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria that some people get after being bitten by ticks infected with an organism namedBorrelia burgdorferi. The organism that causes Lyme disease is maintained in wild rodents, deer, other mammals and certain ticks. It is transferred to people by the bite of an infected tick.
More information about Lyme disease awareness and prevention is online atwww.loudoun.gov/lyme.
