For the last couple weeks, the City of Perry has been out every Thursday to spray for mosquitos, and though the truck doing the spraying has frequently gone unnoticed, the results have not.

Public Works Director Jack Butler says they’ve noticed a big difference around the City from the time they started spraying until now, which has been echoed by many residents. However, while the City’s efforts to keep the mosquito population suppressed have proven successful, Butler reminds citizens they can do their part to prevent larvae from maturing. “You know, with all this rain we’ve been having, if we can get the homeowners to keep track of something that’s laying around in their yard that’s collecting water, it’s a breeding ground for mosquitoes. So if you’ve got something out there, it’s holding water, just get it dumped out, because every little bit helps!”

The one complaint Butler says he’s received has been from people who were used to the old sprayer that was very loud and noticeable. Since they shifted to an electric machine that’s considerably quieter, many residents have doubted that the spraying has been done at all. Butler assures them they are, but to help prove it and to streamline their process, the City will soon be taking advantage of a government program. “We’re going to spend some money here, and we’re actually going to put GPS on this truck, and it’s going to map it. It’s going to show you, and we’re going to be able to say, ‘Look, here’s the day we went by, here’s the time we went by.’ We’re kind of doing that not so much to show people that we’re out doing it, but we’re trying to keep track of our routes.”

Butler adds, it takes 7-8 hours every Thursday to spray the entire town, so they’re looking for ways to be more efficient with it, and the GPS program seemed a logical solution. The City will be doing mosquito spraying from now until the first killing frost this fall. Anyone with questions is encouraged to reach out to City Hall at 515-465-2481.