Mosquito Abatement

The Village of Pingree Grove conducts seasonal mosquito abatement fogging April 15 through October 15, with dry and calm weather permitting. Fogging is conducted between dusk and 2am to maximize effectiveness of the program. While the fogging process is taking place, it is adviseable to remain indoors for up to 30 minutes after. 

The Village's mosquito abatement program is based on a scientific approach. Mosquito traps that are placed around the village are monitored on a regular basis by the Public Works Department to determine the mosquito population density within the community. The threshold for activating fogging is typically when 35 females (the Biters) are caught in the traps over a 2-day period. It is the female mosquito that bites; when the trapped female mosquito count is high enough the fogging program is activated.

The fogging truck drives a prescribed route through the residential streets in the Village. The insecticidal fogging chemical is only effective on mosquitoes that it has contact with. This means that the fogging will likely not be effective against mosquitoes that are congregating in residential backyards, or in wooded areas. By law, it is prohibited to perform fogging around the perimeter of ponds, lakes and other water sources, due to the potential adverse impact on fish and wildlife.

The Village has implemented a GPS routing system for the fogging truck, and track the precise amount of time it takes to traverse the Village, as well as the mileage involved. We regularly check and confirm that our applications are being conducted at the optimal speed to ensure maximum effectiveness and cost-efficiency.

Most species of mosquito have the ability to fly 1-3 miles. The Village of Pingree Grove has large naturalized areas in the vicinity (including Kane County Forest Preserve maintained marsh and wetland areas) that are well within that 1-3 mile radius. This means that whatever steps the village takes for mosquito abatement, we are unable to fully control the population of mosquitoes in the area that are within "flight and bite" distance of the village. However, we do our best to try to mitigate the local impacts, and to keep our community comfortable and safe!