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Resident warns council mosquito spraying could harm monarchs; city says it limits drift
Summary
A resident urged Greenville to consider pollinators before scheduled mosquito adulticide spraying; the safety service director described mitigation steps including night spraying and calibrated equipment to limit drift and residual effects.
During the public comment period a resident said she raises butterflies and had released more than 60 monarchs recently and asked whether the city’s scheduled mosquito adulticide spraying could harm them and honeybees. The resident asked whether residents could be warned and whether alternative actions were planned.
The safety service director responded that the city sprays an adulticide that targets adult mosquitoes, applies treatments at night when bees are in hives to reduce exposure, calibrates equipment annually to reduce drift, and does not expect the product to have persistent residual effects on foliage. The director said staff aim to minimize harm to pollinators and advised residents to follow posted precautions (closing windows, securing pets) on spray nights.
Council members acknowledged the concern and advised residents with pollinator gardens to take precautions such as rinsing plants after spraying and to contact the city with complaints. No policy change or alternate spraying plan was adopted at the meeting; staff said spraying decisions depend on complaint volume and mosquito activity.
