Taking Aim at Mosquitoes. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

One thing that annoys me more than most is to be working outside and suddenly be descended on by a swarm of blood-sucking mosquitoes. Representative David Taylor is trying to get some changes made that would help in controlling these pesky insects.

TAYLOR: About 20 of us within the Republican caucus are working hand-in-hand to try to get the Department of Ecology to at least address some of our concerns; acknowledge them and address them. The two biggest concerns that I have are related to the definition of surface water that ecology is using and number two the clear separation that they are creating between nuisance mosquitoes and vector mosquitoes.

Vector mosquitoes are those that are dangerous because of the disease that they carry. Taylor says the trouble with the surface water is verbiage.

TAYLOR: Right now the draft rule relies upon waters of the state which is synonymous with waters of the U.S. to define surface waters. Well given some of the actions that are potentially coming out of WashingtonDC that definition could include virtually every water body in the state. It comes down to the Clean Water Act. Is it a natural stream, is it not a natural stream, is it navigable is it not navigable.

He says they are suggesting they refine their verbiage to be more specific. In its current form it would apparently preclude proactive spraying for mosquito control. More Monday on nuisance versus vector mosquitoes.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.