Aerial mosquito treatments underway across county

By Ruben Lowman

As the summer heat settles over the Grand Strand, Horry County is taking its annual battle against mosquitoes to the skies.

County officials announced that targeted aerial spraying operations have officially begun, adding a crucial layer of defense to the county’s seasonal pest management efforts.

For residents living near local swamps, marshlands and dense woods, the sight of low-flying planes will become a familiar evening fixture as crews work to keep the local mosquito population under control during the peak summer months.

The aerial campaign is designed to go where standard county trucks simply cannot. While truck-mounted ground spraying has been rolling through local neighborhoods since May 5, vast stretches of unincorporated Horry County feature rugged terrain and thick wetlands that block vehicular access.

To bridge this gap, the county’s Mosquito Control division uses a combination of citizen service requests, field inspections and strategic mosquito traps to pinpoint exactly where the planes are needed most.

Before any flight is cleared for takeoff, biologists ensure that local conditions meet strict guidelines, including sustained temperatures staying safely above 50°F.

Because weather conditions like wind and sudden summer rain showers can change in an instant, the county maintains a highly flexible flight schedule. While residents won’t see specific neighborhood timetables for ground trucks, upcoming aerial flight paths will be regularly updated on social media and on the official Aerial Mosquito Spray Map located on the Horry County Stormwater website.

To accommodate the fluid nature of the operations, flights are tightly restricted to a specific four-hour daily window, starting two hours before sunset and wrapping up two hours after dark, ensuring the treatments are applied safely and effectively.

While the county exclusively uses products approved by the EPA and the South Carolina Department of Pesticide Regulation that pose minimal risk to families and pets, officials are still reminding neighbors to take a few common-sense precautions.

If a spray plane is scheduled over your area, it’s a good idea to stay indoors, close your windows and remember to give any homegrown backyard fruits or vegetables a thorough wash before eating them.

Additionally, local beekeepers are being strongly encouraged to contact Horry County Stormwater right away to register their colony locations, ensuring our vital local honeybee population stays completely safe from any drifting spray.

Neighbors living outside city limits who are noticing an uptick in pests can easily request a treatment in their area by calling the Horry County Road & Drainage Hotline at 843-381-8000.