Laramie outlines data‑driven mosquito control: larval surveillance, two adult spray events and outreach emphasized

Laramie — The City of Laramie presented its integrated mosquito pest‑management program to the City Council, describing a surveillance‑led approach that prioritizes larval control, routine adult trapping and targeted aerial operations to reduce nuisance mosquitoes and lower West Nile virus risk.

Hunter Dearman, the city’s mosquito/IPM supervisor, said the program’s twin goals are West Nile virus prevention and nuisance reduction and emphasized that larval habitat identification and treatment are the most effective long‑term controls. “It’s called pest management, not pest eradication,” Dearman told the council, adding that the program combines mapped larval sites, daily adult traps and both hand‑applied and aerial larvicide operations.

Why it matters: Laramie’s program aims to reduce biting pressure during summer peak weeks and to track Culex (West Nile virus vector) numbers later in the season. Dearman and staff said local surveillance and rapid lab testing let the city detect infected mosquito pools quickly and tailor responses, including public notices when positive pools…