(04/19/19) - The Easter Bunny isn't the only seasonal visitor some Bay County people will see this Sunday.
Unfavorable weather conditions since the beginning of the aerial treatment program on Monday, April 15 are forcing Bay County Mosquito Control to treat on the holiday.
"We've only completed about 5,000 acres of our project, which is about ten percent of where we want to be," said Manager Rebecca Brandt.
Altogether Bay County Mosquito Control has more than 52,000 acres of flooded woodlots to treat this year.
This week airplanes could only fly for a half-a-day.
"We had rain, we had windy conditions, anything over 10 miles per hour. Even if it's not raining, there's clouds or fog, that provides low visibility which means our pilots can't get in the air," Brandt said.
The timing has to be just right drop the BTI pellets from the sky. You can read more about the treatment product on the department website by click on the 'Related Link' with this story.
"We need to apply our product when they're most eager to eat, the larvae are most eager to eat. Which only gives us a couple week window to accomplish that," Brandt explained.
As a result the aerial treatment efforts will focus on Beaver, Mt. Forest and Gibson townships on Sunday. However, Garfield Township may see the airplanes.
They won't begin working until 10 a.m., which is later than usual. "We'll be avoiding any houses of worship until after noon, and of course our pilots are trained pilots who've been with us for a number of years, they will try their best to keep an eye out for any activity that might be going on outdoors," Brandt said.
Brandt said even as they stretch into next week this should keep spring mosquitoes from bugging you. "It's certainly not panic mode or anything like that, we've been through his before, we are confident in our decision of what we're doing on Sunday."
Weather dependent, they hope to be done with the aerial treatment program next weekend. However, it is possible that the program could extend into the following week and still be effective.